'Twas Ever Thus Poem by Neil Crawford

Men, alas, are martial
or so it would appear,
and yet the driving impetus is based
on groundless fears.

The mistrust of the other,
the dread of the unknown,
'That man is not ny brother'...
and thus the seed is sown.

The yearning boy denied a sword
will make one out of sticks,
even though the logic's flawed,
he learns the warriors tricks.

If wooden weapon is removed
his fingers form a gun,
liberal parents are reproved
if they seek to end his 'fun'.

The force seems burnt into the brain
with no apparent end,
someone, somewhere makes a gain
from the death of unmet friends.