Poems by Bob Young for Remembrance Day 2009

The Peoples’ Choice

We space age moderns worship life.
We know we’re all the same –
In wanting Planet Earth made safe,
Without the war machine –
Which symbolizes rule by force –
Of people – justice – freedom – choice!

War Addicts

Like Viet Nam, Afghanistan
Engaged in “kill to win”
Reminds me that was Hitler’s plan –
It’s how all wars begin.
Each kill to win it war explains,
Why addicts seldom change,
When war machines recruit our brains,
To live not warring’s strange.
Yet Veterans say “NEVER AGAIN”
Let “kill to win it” addicts in.
Support Peacekeeping Blue Berets –
They’re teaching soldiers peaceful ways.

Religion on Remembrance Day

I often think Remembrance Day,
Of Jesus status quo.
He’s ruled by force, the Roman way –
No seeds of love must grow.
Remembrance Day we ought to ask,
Do Romans rule today?
Do world Religions mask the task –
Of Empire’s stalking prey?
Non-violent love – prepared to die,
Was Jesus special role,
To change this world and end the lie,
We need to kill to rule.
The Christian human Being cares –
For other lives as much as theirs.

Nine Eleven

9/11 Two thousand One I as on my way to a Veterans Against Nuclear Arms Regional meeting in Nova Scotia. We are United Nations supporters and cheer UN Peacekeepers who say stop the killing and negociate. We know it took the co-operation of communism and capitalism to defeat Hitler and want that same co-operation to save our world today for succeeding generations. Only co-operation can stop pollution, climate change, starvation and war..

One TV interview on that awful day has haunted me ever since. A woman victim asked “Why do they hate us?” She went on to reject violence as a response saying there had been enough killing already.

Sadly violence was the response. In the nuclear weaponed situation we have it is not a time for violence but for co-operation. Eight years of living with the ghosts of 9/11 and that woman’s question prompted the following poem.

Dedicated to all who died by global violence – and children who need to see our world change without violence. As promised when World War Two ended 64 years ago

9/11/2001

“Why do they hate us” victims asked,
Who suffered nine-eleven,
“What evil force could plan attacks,
Against our world trade heaven”.
Is this the modern “us and them”
The ruling class creation,
Where victims turn to violence when,
They lack participation?
It takes a lot of fear and force,
To dominate creation –
Or love to put this world on course
To justice with compassion.
We turn our “us and them” to “we” –
In our United Nations.
And live together violence free.
As Humane populations.
The World Trade Center lesson one:
“This world belongs to everyone”.

My Church Service

My Church has served my Country well,
Supporting war and violence,
From swearing in to battle hell,
And sacrifice Remembrance.
My Church has served my people well
When hungry, poor or wealthy,
When status quo’s make living hell
It feeds and clothes the needy.
My Church has served in war and peace,
The living Human Being.
And learned non violence must replace –
The war machines we’re buying.
My Church makes love the power source,
Which frees the slaves from rule by force.

Bob Young lives in Fredericton.