Petals of loss
Have we forgotten?
So it would appear.
One hundred years and no lessons learnt.
How many images of atrocity
must we see before enough is enough?
Mankind has battled since time began,
does that mean we must until the end?
And womankind, we’re not without guilt,
warrior queens were not legend but manifest.
Leave battles to the playground
To the realms of history, herstory,
fiction and myth.
Cease now,
while a poppy still blooms on this earth.
Lucid Gypsy 
Beautiful, sad words. Lovely poem.
Wow. Heartbreaking how we fight and fight, and kill each other. For what? A piece of land? More land? More of everything?
The last two lines blow me away, “Cease now, / while a poppy on still blooms on this earth. ❤ ❤
Leaves me speechless. We are news junkies in my house. It is so discouraging. What I’ve tried to teach to my children and all in need, in a subtle way is:
We need to accept each other with all of our differences, not condemn each other because of them.
How can we have hope for a world when even in our own cities there are still people that are so full of hate. For example, this past week, a young black man I know in Winnipeg, MB was told on a public bus by a white man, “I want to beat you with your skateboard nigger.” The outcome was not favourable as when the got off the bus he struck the white man with the board. I told him all he succeeded in doing was confirming in that man’s mind that his hatred was justified.
We can’t even have unlimited goodness in our own homes, families, cities, or countries.
I am so depressed.
I forgot to say, ACCEPT, not TOLERATE! Tolerate is such a negative word! Implies a superiority of the “tolerator.”
Powerful words, Gilly. Poignant and piercing! 🙂
A very moving poem and image, Gilly. Your sentiments remind me of Bob Dylan’s song, ‘Blowin’ in the wind’.
Thanks for a provoking sentiment Gilly, as usual. How many images of atrocity, indeed. It seems to be getting worse or is it that we have some much access to so much misery? It all seems so hopeless. Must it get worse before it gets better…there’s always hope so long as the poppy blooms.
Powerful Gilly! Well said! 😀
Stunning, powerful observation Gilly ~ particularly as I read that David Cameron said it would be a celebration of national pride! Not ‘Lazy’ by any means! 🙂
Strong and sharp words here, Gilly… and even though it is in a sad note, it’s that nature of the beast of being human.
If only we would, Gilly.