Sharpening Knives Poem by Andy Brookes

war's destinies bitter truth, barbed biter, realities bitter gall, it galls us in its pitiless pithy reality.

questioning whatever reality is, war is not atransparent entity made of crystal
to shatter glass like, disintegrating at atrumpet blast.
more a dense wall of granite impenetrable, bloody, hard edged, absorbing rational argument.

wars shrill clarion call, that blind patriotic call to arms,
acting no better than our betters, we sow intolerance, learning nothing from our forebears.
crashing about blindly holding our hate close to our chests
enticed by wars seducing glory, funny how missing the L makes it gory, which in truth it is.

sharpening knives when we should sharpen our wits,
finding ourselves at our wits end, with no wits, witless how witty is that.
at a crossroads, we crossed the road, turned into the wrong turning caught by hubris.
there's no turning back except to back out, back away, find a way back.