Conflict

The conscripts are called up for compulsory service,
a declaration has been made it's just the latest ultimatum followed by the purchasing of armaments.
Then the assailant gives way to animosity  and armies are assembled  for imminent invasion,
it's just another stockpile of guns and grenades and the rolling out of tanks in making ready for a military campaign. 
It's making ready to release the first salvo in a rapid reprisal by troops on the border,
and as is usual it's civilians who will be murdered, 
while who so ever should remain will lose all possessions and be displaced,
as is usual it's women and children who will be attacked and used as human shields.
And when the bombs land and the bullets wound,
when the rockets are launched,
there will be a strong smell of sulphur and dismembered corpses will start to decompose then casualties will be in there thousands.
When instructed to do so how easily men become merciless savages,
when instructed to do so how easily men resort to abominable actions,
in the arena of combat war is the ruin of decency,
war is the destroyer of youth.

A Thearta Production*
2001
2024 revisited.
I have posted this piece, which was originally written 23 years ago,as a way of showing my shame,disgust,anger and distress at all conflicts going on in the world at the moment.