In the darkened city people listened with fear
to the roaring of enemy planes drawing near
to fulfill their mission
of some political vision
as with deadly precision
they blew buildings and bodies asunder.
And the sky grew dark with eerie smoke,
eerie smoke filled the sky,
as in the struggle for human rights
the right to live went under;
the right to live it went under
with buildings and bodies blown asunder.
Defending ideologies that had been instilled,
soldier turned upon soldier and killed
in the mindless state
of impersonal hate
of one whose fate
it is to see bodies in agony writhe.
And the sky smelled strongly of rancid blood
the smell of blood filled the sky
when to save the world for democracy
democratic ideals were compromised;
democratic ideals they were compromised
in the bodies that in agony writhed.
Metal buzzards approached, preparing to dive,
as women and children ran for their life
with no place to hide,
one more ugly side
of the terrible plight
of a people driven from their native land.
And the sky resounded with helpless cries,
helpless cries filled the sky
as in the name of justice
injustice gained the upper hand;
injustice gained the upper hand
for a people driven from their native land.
To destroy some ominous military installation
and ammunition depots of another nation
was the official goal.
But what about the toll
exerted from the soul
of a slaughtered child by the wayside?
And the sky hung heavy in black despair,
black despair filled the sky
as in the war for humanity
the essence of humanity died;
the essence of humanity it died
in a slaughtered child by the wayside.
—