Jan Oskar Hansen Poet Free verse

Losing Armies

Losing Armies (dignity)

May 1945, the occupying forces in Norway surrenders, a flag 
is lowered another one hoisted. The occupiers’ commandant 
hand his revolver to the man from the home front, there is
 dignity. The enemy now prisoners, go back to their barracks 
and wait to be skipped home to their country.

Another war, in the Middle East 70 years later, the occupiers
leave in the night unseen by the masses, they too have lost
but pretend they are victors. No dignity, only an unspoken 
sense of dishonor.  And the soldiers, of the vanquished army, 
will be demobbed, given medals and sacrifices are forgotten.

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Debbie Guzzi January 9, 2012 at 10:55 AM Though what you says seems true, if we could only understand there is no honor in war or in death ... there is only killing and loss, and the more mechanised war gets the less personal, the more we will kill. Light & Love