Worlds Apart

The real world is different for those born within strife,
if they are lucky they may grow to become husband or wife,
but for many, boy soldiers is what they were forced to become,
only eleven years old, but still their burden is to carry a gun.

How many live long enough to know that there are other ways,
within another country they wouldn't have been made military slaves.
Are there men with the courage to stop all the rape and slaughter,
does no one there value the lives of their son and their daughter?

We live in one world though still can remain worlds apart,
some wracked by fear and anger, some blessed with a heart.
There are no quick fixes for those slaves of bomb and gun,
they can't change overnight, they can't call on their mum.

Whole generations are destroyed by such ravaging hate,
can we blame their parents, no, the wicked ways of the state,
conflicts started in some distant past can blight generations,
driven by the blind hate between tribes, faiths or nations...

The futures of so many children lost before they were born,
just when will some chance come for a peaceful new dawn?
Be it Africa, Asia, or the Middle East where they live,
they cannot do as they want, they cannot learn how to give.

Yes we live in one world, but will they ever know ours,
where we watch from a safe distance, news on 24 hours,
they cannot see our fair reality isn't some fairy tale,
their future ever measured in blood splattered gun hail...

United Nations talk while more bodies are found in the street,
murdered by armies of those that they would never once meet,
death by strangers that seek to spread bloody terror to all,
resistance ain't futile, but it must come from everyone's call...

Don't wait for those sick battles to kill ever more,
children and mothers abandoned to die by the score,
peace won't ever come while power rests with evil men,
those with greed that freezes their hearts once again.

Talk has been never been cheaper than when liars speak,
they will say what we want to hear, while killing the meek,
ruling by terror must now be condemned to the past,
along with the leaders that murder the rest of the cast...

©Rhumour
June 7th 2012

Overall Rating

Comment By rhumour on 15-07-2012
Hi Dawn, thanks for your comment - I wish your son well during his service, it is a worry for all relatives of those in the armed services. Best wishes, Dave

Comment By dawnthomas on 08-07-2012
very powerful and moving words brought it home to me as my son is in the army

Comment By rhumour on 08-06-2012
Thank you Carol, I hoped I hadn't 'droned on' with this poem, but with the ongoing conflicts in the world that target civilians I am disgusted by the blocking actions of certain states at the United Nations. Best wishes, Dave

Comment By mussygal on 08-06-2012
This is such a deep poem I don't know what to write other than you have covered so much of the worlds problems of generational conflicts. It's very sad and a deep poem of your care and concern for others.. So well put together! Thanks Dave. hugs..