Nine Inch Nails play Handel’s Messiah
Gauguin paints Guernica bare chested
war poets fall in love with what never was
a Gingko tree blossoms at Hiroshima’s swords
into ploughshares condor legions into peace doves
cacophony synaesthesia proverbially composed
The pillow queen stokes her empire
her quivering hand follows her letter
to all it may concern
cry in the dark
although she maybe strong,
made out of ploughshares
the sun still flickers
so much has gone already
and little is wept for
growing old
your strands of whitish hair
you may pray like a cygnet
but hopes are fenced
Come friend, face-to-face
Partake and embrace
Welcome
To our neutral place
Beyond time and pace
We come
To regain lost grace
In unified space
Do come
Though our thoughts misled
Biased human dread
No hate
We will share our bread
Our poetries read
Relate
Debate common thread
Like water be spread
Translate
Agreement declares
Focus on repairs
With speed
We will share our wares
Use swords like ploughshares
No greed
Our Landlords upstairs
Deep in our affairs
Proceed
Date: 27/03/23
Write me a Virelai Contest
Sponsor: Kim Rodrigues
Date: 14/04/23
A Brian Strand Premiere No.1208 Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Brian Strand
imagine there is a war and nobody goes
turns swords into ploughshares instead
builds homeless shelters instead of bunkers
shares toil freedom and land
resists grabbing power
dresses in peace flags and love
the silent majority does not wish
to be slaughtered on battle fields
to satisfy greed and corruption
and they have a say because
they are the masses
we the people need to find our voice
a choir of compassion
and pacifist canon
rhymed metered and tranquil
poetry in untroubled stance and
rhythm of caring intention
I was once a soldier
had sold my soul to the highest bidder
to finance studies and life style
which still leaves a sour taste on my vita
today I am a simple poet
with something to say
quietly walk away from aggression
and hope that my bubble will spread
imagine there is a heaven
and we can stop burning bridges
as well as bear the cross on our shoulders
31st January 2023
If I ruled the world of words
I would empower that refined bond
Wave gracefully my magic wand
And into ploughshares beat swords.
*****
I would invoke all the Muses of poetry
With the truest of voices, in a fervent chant
To cast a spell on souls and every quill enchant
And serve Art attain beauty and glory.
*****
If I ruled the world of words
I would feed its soil and clear it of weeds
Unearth all its fields and sow the finest of seeds
And reap an ink stirred by divine hummingbirds.
‘One has to grow hard but without ever losing tenderness.’
I did not know that my hero was a sex god as well
But he wrote The Motorcycle Diary without any Zen
‘Every day People straighten up the hair, why not the heart?’
Never contemplate a revolution on a bad hair day
So he sported an iconic bandana to dress for a war
‘Don't Shoot I'm Che I'm worth more to you alive than dead!’
A bullet reaches as far as the range of a shell
Revolution rises from residue to the living
‘Democracy represents the dictatorship of the exploiting classes’
No opium for the masses and the jungle for a home
Pistol in belt tongue in cheek and always controversial
‘Better to die standing than to live on your knees’
He lived by the sword for the benefit of ploughshares
A doctor turned renegade marxist Central American style
‘We have no right to believe that freedom can be won without struggle’
Justice does not appear without shadows from Nowhere
He killed fewer people in battle than Trump or Obama
10th February 2020
All sentences in quotation marks by Ernesto Che Guevara
On Sunday the Festival of Light begins
Everyone does not know what that stands for
So I'll explain
It celebrates a revolt against oppression
by the Israelites
against cruel rulers
who refused to let them
practice their faith
The people of Israel triumphed
Led by Judah Maccabbee
and his family
a remarkable victory!
One day "swords will be beaten into ploughshares"
That seems a distant hope
But if we "keep the faith"
IT WILL HAPPEN
when everyone has nothing
we will fight for scraps of bread
while the dogs are eating gourmet food
our school kids dine on things long dead
when all of “us” are equal
except the ones on top
we’ll eat the roots and spit the dirt
while “they” consume the crop
when all the words are “numbered”
with a level of “perception”
the talking heads and asses
will use mathematical deception
when the minds of children
are constrained by “liars” truth
and street corner rantings
the lonely voice of youth
there will be a rebellion
not of weapons but of words
refashioned into ploughshares
the uprising - tongues as swords
when everyone has nothing
something must cease to be
when everyone has closed their eyes
only the blind will see
John G. Lawless
©3/14/2018
People worshiping peacefully
Were struck down by bullets
Happens far too often in this country
Perhaps times will
change for the better
Let us pray that they will
Violence begets violence
Broken lives
cannot always be repaired
One day
swords will be beaten into ploughshares
Let us hope that day comes soon
Saw the new today
Another terrorist attack
this time in Tel Aviv
When will this end?
The rock band U2 sang about
the violence
in Ireland's past
and their words were " I can't believe
the news today
I can't close my eyes and make it go away "
The world is often a sad place
Can the people in it ever get along?
Let us hope so
Another terrorists attack
4 killed 5 wounded
I believe is the total
People's lives
cut off early
like a branch
broken off an old tree
Let us sing the songs of peace!
Let us learn the paths of peace"
Eventually swords will be beaten
into ploughshares
Speedily - and in our days...
A lone voice echoes in the hear of the valley
Did you hear it?
Are you willing to work for peace?
Tall trees surround the green carpet which is the valley
a stream meanders through the valley
Before the leaves turn crimson and gold
Watch the birds flying over the valley
Breathe in the pure air
Take time to realize inner peace
and do not heed angry words of war
A lone voice
calls out for peace
Swords will be beaten into ploughshares
in the not - too - distant future
Let the flags
come down
let the nations
"beat their swords into ploughshares"
The trouble must stop!
Let peace flow like a river
Joy is what we shall know
And eyes will see tomorrow
If we act now!
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