(aaf) Let Us Brace Ourselves As 'One' Poem by Edwin Alba Empestan

Here they are, worn out,
tired and mentally confused
They came from the warfronts,
became experts and lovers of their guns
They recalled how many
enemies have they killed
And how many civilians have
they too killed accidentally.

Counting and counting and counting
how many of their friends have died too.
Now home only for now for war has
still to go on for another chapter
So amazing that youths full of hope
and dreams have to go to
fight and kill and be killed
Should there be an end to this
crying parents for their lost sons,
daughters, husbands and wives?

Is it enough to have somebody a
'hero' receive the flags and medals
in exchange for the lost loved ones?
Is it justified that they were killed
because of a love for our country?
No matter what they say there is no
justification to this man created war
Men were not born to kill
and be killed in wages of war

Enough is enough we beg
of you to stop this slaughter
Pullout all men and go
back to the table and talk
Give peace a chance
and let's all be human
War is not the answer but food,
clothing, shelter is all we need

Teach our children the peacefulness
and the love for each other
As early as they are
learning the true values of life
Let us be all the parents
be the role models for them
Life is too short for us
to kill and be killed

We have other great problems
besetting us like plagues and diseases
Natural calamities like earthquakes,
floods, typhoons, tornadoes,
and cyclones are enough as problems
Great famine of times is here to
stay which begs unity for all of us

Brace ourselves to be more
resourceful and innovative
for more food production
Not creative to produce
weapons of mass destruction
Let us wait for the time that we
will be attacked by other
creatures from another world?
Where we can deviate our
attention to produce those weapons
of mass destruction

But for now loosen up you leaders
talk as leaders and preserve your
people as your best resources
We have to address the problem
of this global warming, it is not a myth
It is happening and will be worsed
as time passes by
Brace ourselves, unite people as a
human race, break the barriers
for human destruction

We need food, shelter, and clothing
free mass education for our children.
Good and sound health
support for our citizenry.
We need alternate fuel to stop
destroying our 'only' home
After all, this is not a dream.
It can come true if we brace
ourselves as ONE.