Tom Cunningham Poet Monoku

Notes About The Poem

Image credit - Wikpedia

War Monoku

the only real winners in conflicts ~ are the arms manufacturers
*

bombing campaigns don't ensure victory ~ people's resolve is stronger
*

wars are expensive for everyone involved ~ peace costs you nothing
*

why are schools and hospitals always targeted ~ they cannot fight back
*

Just because others do not share your views ~ doesn't mean that they are wrong 
*

history remembers the warmongers ~ but why not the peacemakers
*

talks about ceasfires and peace are futile ~ without trust and compromise 
*

lennon and plastic ono band sang give peace a chance ~ so why don't we
*

why do all the despots in the world ~ have weapons of mass destruction
*

skeletal buildings a dreary landscape ~ once thriving communities 




Written 14th April 2026

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

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

Duke Beaufort April 30, 2026 at 6:03 AM Tom, you put the questions in such elegant order, and it should make people think. Clearly the leaders in the US have no concept of what peace requires nor do they care. They only think of themselves. My wife says they should all go live in one of the poorest countries for at least 6 months and learn what real struggle consists of. Hope you are well and sending smiles!!! Tom Cunningham April 30, 2026 at 6:27 AM Thank you Duke, that's a great idea, they wouldn't last five minutes. Can't forget that image of trump wearing a baseball cap when they brought home those soldiers that died in the middle east. If politicians had to go and fight,there wouldn't be any wars.All good here, hope you are too Tom

the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:08 AM Tom Cunningham April 24, 2026 at 8:24 AM Thank you Douglas, sometimes war is justified when your attacked by a rogue state that sponsors terrorist proxies or like Ukraine who are fighting back against Russia, sad that many innocent civilians get caught up in it. The Vietnam war was tragic with China and Russia supporting the north Vietnamese. I'm happy you never ended up there. Many never came home. Enjoy your weekend. Tom the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:15 AM Gooday Tom we have Anzac day here in Oz tomorrow to commemorate the warmongers. I was conscripted into the Australian Army when the Vietnam war was raging. I was a conscientious objector at heart but didnt have the courage to stand up for my conviction Had a mate that did and he ended up in prison. I thought the Iraqis were the ones with weapons of mass destruction Blessings Douglas

the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:06 AM Tom Cunningham April 24, 2026 at 8:25 AM Thank you Douglas the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:18 AM and I agree one hundred per cent with your sentiments the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:16 AM fortunately I didnt get sent to Vietnam

Judy Ball April 22, 2026 at 9:15 AM Ah I do so agree with you my friend. However there are those out there who will take your peace away from you if good men and women don't stand up and be counted when that peace is threatened. A fine write my friend. God Bless, JB Tom Cunningham April 22, 2026 at 10:17 AM Thank you Judy, lovely to see you again. I hope people remember come election time. Wars create more problems than they solve. Tom

Ink Empress April 18, 2026 at 5:48 AM Dear Tom, you have such a beautiful heart and soul, wish many more would think and feel like you do. I wanted to quote one of the monoku here and i couldnt as i kept agreeing to each and every monoku so well written here! Absolutely love how youv said peace costs you nothing but it seems like now with everything thats going on , peace is expensive. Its very unfortunate times. Scary too. And i cant believe we keep goin on amidst all that which so many are enduring. I pray for peace! FAV! Sending you light always Tom Cunningham April 18, 2026 at 9:53 AM Thank you IE, only talking and compromise sorts out disagreements, if the politicians had to go to war there wouldn't be any wars. It's heartbreaking to see innocent civilians killed and their houses destroyed. Scary times indeed ,the world has become very unstable. Thanks too for faving it.. Enjoy your weekend. Tom

Supraja Kannan April 18, 2026 at 2:01 AM Oh my!!! This is very powerful... wars are expensive for everyone involved ~ peace costs you nothing... Why are schools and hospitals always targeted ~ they cannot fight back What powerful questions!!!! Brilliant monokus, Tom... the barefoot bard April 24, 2026 at 1:23 AM He's warlike because there is no self love and he wants to vent anger on all who surround him to release his pressure valve , Universal love for self and fellow man and woman is what is required. I have faith that one day it will occur Blessings douglas Tom Cunningham April 18, 2026 at 2:23 AM Thank you very much Supraja, it must be in mankinds dna to be warlike, he always finds some excuse to start one, be it power, land or religion, he never learns from past mistakes. Enjoy your weekend. Tom

Valsa George April 16, 2026 at 4:50 AM Hi Tom, lovely string of inter related monokus. All are beautiful, especially the one on talks for peace and ceasefire without trust and compromise. Tom Cunningham April 16, 2026 at 7:07 AM Thank you Valsa, it's all we hear these days, mankind never learns from his mistakes they said ww2 was the war to end all wars yer there's conflicts and war everywhere. Tom,

Karen Jones April 16, 2026 at 3:58 AM Tom these are great! You ask good questions in some and supply answers in others. Much food for thought here. Thanks for sharing! Tom Cunningham April 16, 2026 at 4:24 AM Thank you karen, it's on everyone's mind at the moment, wouldn't it be great if everyone respected each other and lived in peace,we can only hope. Tom

Paula Goldsmith April 15, 2026 at 1:39 PM There has always been wars. The Bible says, there will always be wars until the end. I enjoyed reading your many Monoku writes. Love your line, "Just because others do not share your views ~ doesn't mean that they are wrong." So Very True. Many only see their own views. Have a blessed day writing away................... Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 2:18 PM Thank you Paula, if only those at war talked first and compromised it might be a different outcome. Hope your week is going well. Tom

Kim Rodrigues April 15, 2026 at 8:54 AM Just because others do not share your views ~ doesn't mean that they are wrong ...yes along with talks, compromise, wisdom, and discernment. Too many voices involved in today's world. We pray our leaders bring peace with God's help. Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 10:36 AM Thank you Kim, if only world leaders respected others views and met half way to bring about peace, but Iran is a terrorist state arming terrorists in the middle east I don't trust them at all. Tom

Sara Kendrick April 15, 2026 at 5:18 AM Tom, war is definitely not the answer and we as the inhabitants need to come up with different solutions. The Bible says, "there shall be wars and rumors of wars in diverse places", so we know it is going to happen until....Sara K..I like this one and the photo. Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 6:37 AM Thank you Sara, man has fought wars since time began, he never learns that there could be a better way to settle differences, that picture is of Cologne in ww2. Tom

Victor Buhagiar April 15, 2026 at 2:15 AM Brilkliant monokus. Loved the first one best, but the others are just as good. Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 2:51 AM Thank you Victor, it's a shame that the ones that come off worse are the innocent civilians. Tom

Joanna Daniel April 15, 2026 at 1:41 AM Powerful one-liners, Tom, if only world governments would understand the truth... Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 2:45 AM Thank you Joanna, we live in hope that they do, wars achieve nothing and the effects of it last years. Tom

Karen Croft April 15, 2026 at 1:40 AM Very interesting war monokus! Tom Cunningham April 15, 2026 at 2:43 AM Thank you Karen, there's no escaping it,it's all we hear these days. Tom

Gershon Wolf April 14, 2026 at 8:18 PM War is Raw backwards... Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 9:38 PM It certainly is Gershon.

Joseph May April 14, 2026 at 4:11 PM "Talks about ceasfires and peace are futile ~ without trust and compromise" Powerful lines Tom Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 9:41 PM Thank you Joseph, I think there will come a time when there will be no more Planet earth, too many crackpots with their fingers on the nuclear button. Tom

Abdullah Alhemaidy April 14, 2026 at 4:07 PM Very nice & interesting read! Best regard! Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 9:42 PM Thank you Abdullah, wars achieve nothing but heartbreak, only talks can bring it to an end. Tom

David Kavanagh April 14, 2026 at 3:17 PM Seems to be everywhere these days Tom, hopefully the WMDs are kept under wraps, enjoyed your pondering here, #1 Monoku is my favourite, that looks like Cologne or what was left of it in your picture, cheers David David Kavanagh April 15, 2026 at 12:36 AM Above is my response to Tom’s poem that I enjoyed reading, in which I focused on #1 Below is my position on WW2, https://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/onslaught_1485847 Keith D Trestrail April 14, 2026 at 10:12 PM Agreed Tom. Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 10:00 PM No Keith, some wars are justified, tyranny mustn't succeed. We all know Iran sponsors terrorism world wide and mustn't be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, Putin on the other hand has invaded a peaceful country who posed no threat and Ukraine has every right to defend itself. It's the innocent civilians who suffer the most. Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 9:49 PM Thank you David, I'm on a monoku roll at the moment yes ,that's Cologne or what's left of it. Wondered why the cathedral was still standing, apparently it was spared as they used it as a marker for other bombing raids although it did suffer some damage. Amazes me how these places are completely rebuilt. Man always bounces back. I can understand why Trump and. Israel want to destroy Irans nuclear capability, they wouldn't hesitate to use it. We live in dangerous times for sure. Tom Keith D Trestrail April 14, 2026 at 9:48 PM I prefer principles to platitudes. Europe and the nations of the Indo-Pacific might take a different view after WW2. They fought a just war against the Nazis and the Japanese so I’d call them winners. Or are you saying there is no such thing as a just war? Where tyranny goes unchallenged there are no winners that’s for sure. A Roman general once said “if you want peace, prepare for war”.

Lin Lane April 14, 2026 at 1:32 PM Tom, your Monoku are strikingly powerful statements of truth. Every one should be taken as a lesson. Tom Cunningham April 14, 2026 at 1:37 PM Thank you Lin, all we hear about on the news lately is about war and conflicts. Decided to put some of my thoughts on paper.