Everyday soldier

War is real estate

land taken by force
defended as one's own

only to be lost 
eventually retaken
sometimes several times a day 
so who claims their share
there's no escaping

those made-up stories 
we tell ourselves

we share in fantasy
each in bed sleeping
while some are lying
there are no dreams in war

they say history is written 
by those who win
for a time that trick is ticked
gives shelter from the storm
but at sea you'll see 
who's hand tills Gericault's raft 

so it seems that's how stories go 
each one a work of darker art
their inspiration
honed all day
a thing carved a little too well
makes everybody high

and proud enough to scrape 
and bow to vain courage
a belief in blind devotion
to battlefield memorials 
so they too themselves
will go to war 

defending some old dirt
always turned and shaken
band music plays the grand entres
stages are painted the actors decorated
the theatre of war is no play  
won or lost it's the same

must we do the same





image: Invasion / synthetic polymer on paper / A3 x 2  JSkewes 2003