War and Terror

Published in Solidarity 396, 2 March 2016.

Dulce et decorum est
As Owen wrote, the ancient lie
Inscribed upon the soldier's breast
And told to men when sent to die
But tell me, for commemoration
Below the flag that's raised to fool us
Did they really die for nation
Or rather for the nation's rulers?

Photo: Wilfred Owen

A century ago, with Britain at war, the Woman's Dreadnought published this poem:

CHRISTMAS EVE
- to man the comfortable

We have a fearless leader we can trust
Who's proved to us already that he would
Destroy communities for their own good
Burn shadows into pavements, flesh to dust
He flaunts the firmest finger, face that fits
A leader who can make that tough decision
Personifies the stone-heart politician
Choose yes or no to blow the world to bits
- When button push one day will come to shove

Haters gonna hate
Dictators gonna dictate
Tyrants gonna tyrannise 
Rebels will rebel and rise
Rival rulers gonna ride
Rebellion's discontented tide

Bombers gonna bomb
Pogromists will pogrom
Fighters gonna fight
Families gonna take flight
Borders gonna rise
Papers gonna scandalise