Can Only Blind Men See Poem by Barry Middleton

His eyes, bright sightless pearls,
bestow a peace on him,
for blind men cannot go to war.
His vision lies within.

He asked me if the wars rage on,
and sad was my reply.
'Regretfully they never learn,
they'll fight till planets die.'

He said, 'It need not be this way
for nature does not war.
If this is all we have on earth,
is peace what heaven's for? '

'Peace and rest, ' I would suppose,
are waiting for us there,
no more battles crush our hope,
a respite from despair.'

'We could have peace on earth, ' he said,
'if men could let peace be.
If all were blind, we'd have no war.
Can only blind men see? '