If

If it be lunatics rule half this world And power mad despots tread where they please If tyrant’s fists raised, leave no toe uncurled And civilised nations fail to appease If Reds share handshakes to serve malign ends And kooks with nukes make many spines shiver If despots trade ICBMs with friends And NATO’s one voice betrays a quiver If hospitals shield a terror downstairs And each side seeks resolution in war If one hostage freed, frees twenty of theirs And war will be war like no war before If all this be so then are we not done And should we concede; the countdown’s begun

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Jan Allison

Date: 11/8/2024 4:25:00 AM

well penned Terry, with terump in power and shaking hands with other "power mad despots" I worry for the state of the whole world. hugs Jan xx

Terry Flood
Date: 11/8/2024 3:12:00 PM

Thanks, Jan. As I said to Tom, below. Maybe when you have a lunatic to deal with, what you need… is another lunatic. Only time will tell.

Lin Lane

Date: 11/8/2024 1:08:00 AM

I read your lines twice and each time I found myself thinking you certainly have your finger on the pulse of the way things are falling apart in the world. World powers include Putin, Jung Ung, and now Trump. All power hungry ego maniacs with fat fingers far too near that button. "Kooks with nukes." We concede nothing... the fat lady isn't singing.

Terry Flood
Date: 11/8/2024 2:22:00 AM

Thank you, Lin. I only hope Trump continues full support for Ukraine. If Putin wins there… I doubt he’ll put his feet up.

Tom Cunningham

Date: 11/7/2024 10:07:00 PM

You captured the state of the world as it is now Terry , just imagine if the civilised nations did not have a nuclear arsenal.. I think Ukraine regrets giving up their's. If it happens I hope it's quick, who'd want to live in a nuclear wasteland. Tom

Terry Flood
Date: 11/8/2024 2:19:00 AM

I actually wrote this in rhyming couplets. But Google was vague as to whether that constituted a sonnet… so I stirred it up a bit. Glad it still worked. I’m no fan of Trump but I find myself wondering whether the best person to deal with lunatics… is another lunatic!