I saw the bullets flying 'round a terrified young man
I heard his last breath sighing as the gun fell from his hand
I felt a mother crying for a son in a distant land
as I watched this child dying face down in foreign sand
Your troops are somebody's babies
your troops have babies of their own
Your troops are somebody's lovers
dying so far from home
I saw a country burning in a war no one would claim
I heard our troops returning for round two of the game
I felt a mother yearning, searching for her son's name
and I watched the world keep turning, as if all was still the same
Your troops are somebody's babies
your troops have babies of their own
Your troops are somebody's lovers
dying so far from home
I saw a tyrant leading our children off to die
I heard a country pleading to know the reason why
I felt a mother needing to understand, to justify
as I watched our brave boys bleeding for a politician's lie
Your troops are somebody's babies
your troops have babies of their own
Your troops are somebody's lovers
dying so far from home
Author notes
Burning the book (read the rules) This is actually a pre-write, originally titled "Somebody's Babies". About the war in Iraq, and how much I hate hearing all these boys who have died being referred to as "troops". As in 'twenty troops were killed...' when they mean twenty boys (or girls) were killed.
A contest entry
- Rebel! by Cinder.
900 points, ended February 23, 2008, 26 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
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I really liked this poem. I have a cousin who is in the Marine's and he's been overseas twice already and I'm always worried when I hear he's been sent over. But it is so sad that so many are dying. Good luck with the contest. Great write.
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Good song here. You have a very strong point and I agree entirely, especially as the war is so unimportant for Americans/Brits- at least some other wars could be argued to be justified, this one isn't. It's a war I'm very skeptical about, and it's sad when people die because of this. I also liked that you put the humanity back into these soldiers, as this is often forgotten. I feel this honoured the troops by making them more than troops.
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