In the Distance I Hear the Drums- a poem by Drew Nickell

In the distance I hear the drums-
The drums of war, and all that comes
With all the death that will ensue,
And all our words and deeds we’ll rue;

The momentary peace between
The wars we’ve waged and wars unseen-
The wars we’ve fought and ones we’ll fight
So long as there is day and night;

In hearts we seek a path to peace,
Yet in our words the odds decrease
The likelihood that never more,
Will sound again the drums of war;

In ages gone to history’s dust
Man has fought for what was just-
Certain that his cause was right
With honor carried to the fight;

Yet with scenes of death abound-
Attendant misery all around,
And from this darkness, once again,
The graves of men and women lain

And as the war-worn people age,
Their children find, anew, the rage
That heightens tension all around
And, once again, the war drums sound;

I hear the drums of war approach,
Regardless of the stern reproach,
To selfish quest and power sought-
The reasons that such wars are fought;

The darkness comes and steals the light
And takes us to an endless night
And, once again, just as before,
We find ourselves, again, at war…

 

-Drew Nickell, 27 March 2018

© 2018 by Drew Nickell, all rights reserved.
author of “Bending Your Ear- a Collection of Essays on the Issues of Our Times”
now available at Amazon

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