(8.4.1929 / Marton, Lancashire)

What do you think this poem is about?

0108 Two poems about War

see that woman
flung over her son's dead body
howling from the depths
of her womb

what has she
to do with war
or war with her?


* * *


if all the mothers in the world
denied war in their mind
and in their speech
what would happen
in the mind of men?

what is the powerful
compared with the power? *



(* ancient belief: man is the power-ful, woman the power)

Submitted: Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Edited: Thursday, July 13, 2006

Comments about this poem (0108 Two poems about War by Michael Shepherd )

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  • Gina Onyemaechi (6/13/2006 8:01:00 AM)

    War makes casualties, as well you know, Mikey. And you have expressed this so movingly and so economically.

    Love,
    Gina.

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  • ... ... (6/13/2006 7:32:00 AM)

    margaret thatcher?

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  • Frank James Ryan Jr...fjr (6/13/2006 6:59:00 AM)

    INTERESTING FODDER FOR DEBATE, Mr. SHEPHERD, INDEED....MY CONCLUSION W/ ALL WOMEN AS YOU ALLUDE TO IN SOLIDARITY ON THE ISSUE OF WAR IS THAT WAR AS WE KNOW IT WOULD ULTIMATELY CEASE
    AS, IN MY OPINION, POWERFUL IS A TEMPORARY STATE...POWER WHEN EXERCISED IN RELENTLESS MASS IS POTENTIALLY INFINITE.
    STELLAR TOSS TO THE READER...FINE PENNING...BUT YOU KNEW THAT!
    ''''''''''''''''FRANK

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  • Tara very irritated with PH injustice (6/13/2006 6:46:00 AM)

    'Ouch' (as they are saying in Westminster at the moment) . Superbly put as ever Michael. Thought-provoking and oh-so-true. (Particularly of course the footnote, one which I henceforth adopt) . Women both victims, as mothers, and perpetrators, to the extent that they may 'guide' male mentality.

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  • Michael Emine (6/13/2006 6:01:00 AM)

    PS I forgot to mention that I was referring to your poem of course, and also that I like it

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  • Michael Emine (6/13/2006 6:00:00 AM)

    I like it that you are next to me here!

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