Short Conscripts Poems

Rifles rattle,
Armies battle
On the plain,
Getting glory,
Grief, or gory
Colored pain.

Conscripts giving
Up their living 
For a patriotic bed
That is bag-shaped,
Shrouded, flag-draped:
Blue, white, red....

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If lights great speed
  is but a myth

And darkness not empty
  as it seems

What’s true then false,
  what’s false conscripts

Our need to know 
  —a cursed dream

Has discovery
  made us better

Have our souls
  or spirits changed

As logic brags
  with ethics blurred

To win 
  —a losing game

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2019)...

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Eighty summers ago one tyrant’s decision
Sent young soldiers east division by division
Such savage cruelty of his war machine
The degree of which had never been seen

On a cold winter’s morn one tyrant’s decision
Sent young soldiers west division by division
Conscripts will perish mothers will mourn
Civilians will bear horrors which can never be borne

Written 2/25/22...

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Heroes in Ukraine
    No heat, no power
  endure aerial bombardment
    More brutal by the day

  Hundreds of Russian conscripts
    thrown into battle every day
  Unprepared, they die like flies
    As if Vladimir Putin cares

  While informed Americans stuff down turkey
    watching sacred football games
  Taking stock of their carbon emissions
    So Donald Trump they can blame...

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Wear witty way
Dream deeper day
Seek sublime say


Charm cheeky chance
Drill dummy dance
Treasure true trance


Nurture nice notch
Weeping words watch
Prance pleasant porch


Chance conscripts clay
Pickled plots play
Sad sorrow sways


Primal play plots
Loiter late lots
Sick slaying slots


Sense simple sights
Lasting love lights
Free floating flight




Leon Enriquez
08 September 2016
Singapore...

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this soldier took those rounds so they could save

their fellow conscripts from their early grave

how ghastly tannic, tastes such horrid truth

though warm as blood, or tart as sweet vermouth


thus now they gather ‘round to ask for grace

dark masks of horror frozen on each face

such needless waste to ransom golden curls

this warrior, brave, now lost … was but a girl.











Copyright © Gregory Richard Barden, March 6, 2023...

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