War - Child Soldiers Poem by Paul Warren

Standing with AK 47s too big for them
Knowing how to pull the trigger - do they comprehend?
What it means to be a soldier for today
I used to think it was evil in Satan's sway
But when we leave these battles and they stay
These children are left in harm's way
Now I find out in Helmand province in Afghanistan
There is a grandmother and her three grandson's as fighting men

As our allies against the Taliban fight
We are relying on children to fight war in our sight
This is surely not right and I have tried to think it through
It's seems wars don't end just because we want them to
How do we fix up this mess and stop it spreading out
We in the West surely have the final clout
Or is it enough that it doesn't spread here
So leave it to them and let them persevere?

© Paul Warren Poetry