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Give A Second Thought

by John G.Hall 

Posted: 29 November 2004
Word Count: 114
Summary: Last week napalm was used in Iraq by Allied Troops.It burnt the skin off children who happened to get in the way. Vietnam here we go.


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Give a second thought

For some being alive
is before everything
an enduring second
lived before & during
& after it's happening,

a present wrapped in
rice paper & red wax,
human nuisance again
stuffed in the furnace
while money struts,

the painted war horse
that rocks us all to hell
last week vomited napalm
on innocent Iraqi children
one minute they had skin
one second they have none.

For some being alive
is after all everything,
a resigned shoulder
shrugged beneath
a Cashmere coat,

worn before & during
& after just another
atrocities happening.

Far away beneath TV's
embedded lens, close
to our skin,our spirits
wriggle uncontrollably
towards the off switch.




John G.Hall(C)2004






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Comments by other Members



Carlton at 20:47 on 29 November 2004  Report this post
Very thought provoking John. A subject close to many hearts, and an end that we all endure, however uncomfortably.
Well put.

Tuppence at 20:50 on 29 November 2004  Report this post
have nightmares

juleschoc at 14:14 on 30 November 2004  Report this post
Very chilling. Lot of imapct in the last stanza. Like the way you combine the spiritual and the material.

Jules

Elsie at 19:08 on 03 December 2004  Report this post
Hi John. really like the feeling of this, (must admit it's news to me about the napalm - too bust working and sleeping..) I'm struggling a bit with the first stanza, 'before everything an enduring second...' and the people who 'being alive is after all everything..' I think I understand, maybe I'm being dim...


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