War Poem by Lawrence Frankpitt Fearby

Oh! Could I but the powers that be

Persuade to listen to my plea

Why cannot God all men combine,

In friendship, trust and love divine?



Why must predominance be sought?

Empires won and battles fought?

With half the world in misery

What purpose then such agony?



Why should not men contented be?

To live at peace on land and sea?

And ending racial dominance,

Give blessed life due prominence?



What use to poor working man

A realm however wide the span?

Just leave him there to dwell in peace

With wife and child ambitions cease.



Does national glory aid his need?

His wants supply; his belly feed?

‘Neath gilded glitter of a lie

Still many vital truths will die.



There sitting by his fireside

Writes wealthy, selfish hot head pride

My comrades we shall never yield

‘Till corpse glut that bloody field.



We'll teach our youth this noble skill

The way to slaughter and to kill

A peace! Ridiculous indeed;

Let's save our self-respect and bleed.



‘Tis blessed duty, he'll persuade

Be sure it's but a masquerade!
What cares he for his fellow kind?

He casts no sorry look behind.



Is there a man of intellect,

Who will uphold this murderous sect?

What of the household dead?

Have deeds and memories thus fled?



The armies march with heads held high

But surely ever wondering why

To question is beyond the means,

Of these poor physical machines.



Oh! Hopeless hope end all fray

To prove to man the safer way

Although his sense may show him how

His vanity will ne'er allow.



By riches, spoils and promised might

Persuaded still the peoples fight

If civilized we're said to be

‘Tis cloak to hide atrocity.