All Out Love Poem by John Gaskin

When did peace talks
breakdown
around the table
turning
an act of love
into one of betrayal?
Who fired the shot
that started the war?
Will it be over by Christmas
or
be a battle
for evermore?

Halt
Who goes there
friend or foe
I’m not sure
I used to know
You named me your enemy
and mobilised
for war

And our kids
will be first
on the casualty list
Refusing
to be conscripted
and reluctant
to enlist
Then friends
taking cover
from the shrapnel of hurt
Some
will go missing in action
while others
will simply desert

Halt
Who goes there
What’s the password
you were
my last word
You made me your enemy
and
marched us off
to war

And Lawyers
will launch
a barrage of writs
Seizing
all of our money
and blowing
our assets to bits
Then
all we had built up
would be
razed to the ground
In an unclear
fall out of hate
our kids
interned
in the lost and found

Halt
Who goes there
Is that a white flag
our words
a red rag
We hold hand in hand combat
now
all out love’s
path
has led
to war