War and Peace

My sword ready to pierce through his chest,

He winced, "Before you put me to rest,

tell me why we're bent on killing and dying.

No one needs this unnecessary bloodshed,

Isn't this God's will that we are defying?

I slowly twisted my blade, bubbling

with silent rage, I whispered,

" Those whom you fight for,

slaughtered my kin,

Now I do the same to theirs ... "

A painful smile painted his face as he said,

"You are naive to think only you feel for your dead.

I have suffered the loss of loved ones too,

Carried the burden of those shattered bonds,

I've felt that unconditional contempt I now see in you.

But this festival of hate cannot go on forever,

Someday men will truly understand each other,

I do not know the answer to when and how,

But I dream of peace and I have faith in a future,

Void of the unending hurt, these sinister wars allow."

"Amen, to your dreams...", I said,

And let the steel pierce through his heart,

Another soul set free,

from this pathetic world full,

of hollow words and selfish thoughts.

"Peace is nothing but the calm before the next war,

Vengeance will always give men a reason to kill for,

How can we make sense of another man's pain,

when we're blinded by our own misery and hurt,

Leaving us slaves to an irrational cycle of rage and disdain."