The Mortar's Whump (a repost for the occasion)

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Krawdad
Member Elite

since 2001-01-03

Posts 2597

0 posted 2010-07-04 03:26 AM

               The Mortar's Whump

               After an anthem that praises
               the rockets' red glare
               and bombs bursting . . .
               firemen here play with fire
               to an eager crowd,
               anticipating.

               When the night is full enough
               to hide the battery's details,
               it begins.
               Tons of phosphorus whites rise
               cobalt blues burst
               blood reds glow
               and fire yellows cascade.
               It goes on and on.
               It is quite a show.

               Curious,
               how we have prettified
               the tools of war and gore
               into a noisy carnival party
               to take the children to.
               But I recall the drop
               of metal shells into metal tubes
               and I hear something else.

               Mortar after mortar,
               the huge finale is deafening!
               An all out attack!
               The cheers go up!
               The horns are sounded!
               Bravo!  Bravo!

               The smoke drifts off with the spectators,
               but at midnight, as though the battle
               was on again,
               a tactic to disturb the enemy's sleep,
               the miswired and the misfired
               are set off, sent aloft.
               Surprise!

               No one is left to cheer.

               Could we have another anthem, please,
               one that praises something else?

               There is so much more.

               There is  so   much    more . . .

nakdthoughts
Member Laureate

since 2000-10-29

Posts 19200
Between the Lines

1 posted 2010-07-04 08:17 PM

..........and I agree ( nice to see you, by the way)

M

2islander2
Member Ascendant

since 2008-03-12

Posts 6825
by the sea

2 posted 2010-07-05 11:45 AM

I agree too and support it.

regards

yann

Eldest
Member

since 2010-06-15

Posts 177
Alabama

3 posted 2010-07-05 06:09 PM

My brother-in-law spent time "in country" in Vietnam and has talked about this sound.

Dark Stranger
Member Patricius

since 2001-03-19

Posts 13631
West Coast

4 posted 2010-07-07 07:18 AM

KD..perhaps it is a "lest we forget" sound? kewl ink guy!!

bel1e
Senior Member

since 2006-07-24

Posts 1631

5 posted 2010-07-07 10:16 AM

Curious,
               how we have prettified
               the tools of war and gore
               into a noisy carnival party
               to take the children to.
____________________________________________
wow~~powerfully stated~*~

Marchmadness
Member Rara Avis

since 2007-09-16

Posts 9271
So. El Monte, California

6 posted 2010-07-09 09:29 PM

I have always hoped we would find that "something else" but it isn't looking good. Very well said, Krawdad.
Ida

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