War And The Preparation For War Poem by Allan Thorne

Inside

The 'war news', is playing,
Or what passes for news
In times of war.
Idle speculation
In the mouths of experts
passed off as fact
To fill the time and provide
The illusion of knowledge
To quiet the knawing
Of not knowing.
Empty phrases
That we repeat to one another,
A magic charms to ward off the evil eye,
A mantra chanted to fill the silence.

Outside

Children glide
Silently through the shadows
In a game of
Hide and catch,
Seek and find
That explodes spasmodically
Into shrieks of warning
Cries of betrayal
As each player in turn
Breaks cover
And dashes for the goal and safety.