Proud Man
I stand in the forest
Of headstones marking the fallen
Where a statue freshly erected
A monument of the proud man
I stood and watched the podium
Where Rich men made their speeches
Thanking the young and restless
For dieing for their riches
They spoke of heroes
And valiant acts
Service to country
The young's embrace of death
As I struggled to climb
To stand on the podium
As a guest and visitor
Another pawn for their riches
I stepped toward the mic
To speak of my brothers
The valiant in life
The martyrs of our nation
I looked at the faces
Young men and women
Smiling at me
The next crop of victims
Tomorrows heroes standing in front
With heads held high
Ready to charge and kill
The next poor brown nation
I opened my mouth
To warn the next generation
Of the hero's way of life
And the white stone that marks his monument
I spoke at last, though words left me
And stepped through the curtain
Where the blindfolded crowd
In menacing silence, awaited me
I saw futures martyrs
Skeletons of tomorrow’s dead
I told them in the hope
Reject our father’s course-- the path to infamy
If life is to be restored
We must burn our father’s illusions
And their bloody blade
To escape the proud delusion
There are No Heroes
Only Dead Men.
Copyright © Brian Olinger | Year Posted 2005
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