Sunday is the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day, when fighting ceased, bringing an end to WWI. It was called the war to end all wars, but sadly we see conflicts and wars continue throughout the world. Some say war is Hell and I would tend to agree. Many brave soldiers lost their lives on the battlefield. The horrific atrocities that occurred were unimaginable. Our leaders have not learned from our past. The division in our country can only lead to further conflict in our own back yard. We must learn how to agree to disagree and move beyond our personal power trips. We must stop sending our best young people to slaughter in ongoing wars of our own making.
Armistice Day ink
Brings an end to bloody war
November snow falls
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Frank Tassone reminded us that tomorrow is the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI. The Armistice signed ended the fighting and killing that had raged on for years. He asked us to write a Haikai poem that mention Armistice Day.
Join us at: https://frankjtassone.com/2018/11/10/haikai-challenge-60-11-10-18-armistice-haiku-senryu-haibun-tanka-haiga-renga/
Tomorrow is also Frank’s birthday! Happy Birthday Frank!!
Photo: Dwight L. Roth Title from Pete Seeger song: “Were have all the flowers gone?”
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I have a book ” Anthem for Doomed Youth” poets of the great war edited by Lyn Macdonald. Its a book of poems written by soldiers in the First World War.
The Trenches
We wander round this horrid trench
Pent in by walls of yellow mud
And grow accustomed to the stench
And whistling things, and things that thud
All day we slowly pass the time
And gaze with mirrors at the Hun,
And when the sun has ceased to shine
We have our little bit of fun.
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Beautiful!
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The poems and stories tell the reality of what it is really like. A very interesting poem Len.
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Amazing accounts I am sure. Thanks Len!
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The strategy is to make their victimisation look like their nobility or patriotism to be hailed. It well conceals the original crime.
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No one wins for sure.
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Reblogged this on The Reluctant Poet.
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Nobody ever learns anything. It astonishes me that humanity has lasted so long.
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But the ones who decide seldom send their sons into harms way!
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Not any more. That is the one lesson they learned from the first world war.
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Thank you, Dwight! 🙂
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You are welcome! :>)
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Reblogged this on Frank J. Tassone and commented:
#Haiku Happenings #4: Dwight’s latest #haibun for my current #haikai challenge!
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I share your sentiments, Dwight. I love the closing verse of your Haiku: “November snow falls.” A time for rest and introspection.
An estimated 17 million people died in World War I: that’s equivalent to the combined current populations of the states of Virginia and New Jersey.
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Wow!! That is an unbelievable number… and then 21 years later they did it all over again. What in the world were they thinking!
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Thank you Dwight, a beautiful post.
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Thank You Helene!
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Well said Dwight. I particularly like your comments about learning how to disagree and putting an end to sending youth off to war.
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It is sad that we sacrifice our best young people!
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It certainly is.
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So true, Dwight, and a lovely haiku.
The leaders “sell” wars to the public and to the young soldiers who go and fight–it will be an adventure, they can get a paid education or training . . .they don’t talk about the horror.
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Thanks Merril. You are right… So much carnage and devastation.
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Excellent and thought provoking haibun, Dwight, as we remember them.
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Thanks Lynn!
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When family members cannot agree to disagree how are world leaders to do such?
Oh wait we put them in charge because they were supposed to be reasonable and logical.
Another November… we can only hope that our children’s children can find a better way.
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We seldom learn from history, so sadly it is very unlikely.
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The only thing sanity has left is ‘Hope’. …
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Yes!
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How heart breaking that we can’t find a better way to solve our differences 😦
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So very true!
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