Poem: WAR Poet: Chuck Zehring

WAR
(for Line and Sami)

(read in the manner of the spoken word)

There's been a war raging for the past 400 years
the goal of which has been money and privilege for some
at the expense of other's life, limb, and tears.

There's been a war raging for the past 400 years
against the people who look like you by people who look like me;
all just grease for the slave machine's gears.

There's been a war raging for the past 400 years,
there are only two sides;
as John Brown, Malcolm, and others have made clear;
standing, fighting, in the light or hiding in racism's shadowy fears.

There's been a war raging for the past 400 years,
the tab has been running for far too long,
it's time the account gets closed--stamped in arrears.

(c) Chuck Zehring 11/4/06