Wretch Noblesse
#1
Wretch Noblesse
‘A stony adversary, and inhuman wretch’ 1


My little boy sits in the corner,
he is angry and out of sorts.
He wanted to go with his father
to kill the evil Americans.
I cannot help but be proud
of his fierceness,
I can’t help but understand
that he is yet a boy,
and does not understand what war is.

I am sure that he was confused
and ashamed today.
He could not understand why
his father did not want to go
and fight the hated Americans,
when the guard came and took him away.
Away from me.

I can forgive my son his fierceness,
he does not yet know of war…but I do.
I have seen this once proud city,
the star of an age,
battered into ruins.
I have seen the people
buried under the rubble.
I have looked into the dead face
of a woman holding her dead baby,
half buried under the fallen buildings,
and known it to be my face.

Soon enough it will be me, dead,
holding my dead baby.
Then my son will be crying my name,
and tearing at the stone,
as I have seen other sons do.
And his father, as theirs,
will be away, fighting, or dead.
There will be no one to comfort him,
no one to explain.
And he will vow, that one day,
he will kill,
all those who have hurt him.
And I cannot help but be sad,
and proud.

"Unto the seventh generation."2

–Erthona
____________________________________________________________
1 Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” Act 4 scene 1
2 Matthew 22:26

©2005-2014
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?

The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
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#2
(08-23-2014, 06:45 AM)Erthona Wrote:  Wretch Noblesse
‘A stony adversary, and inhuman wretch’ 1


My little boy sits in the corner,
he is angry and out of sorts.
He wanted to go with his father
to kill the evil Americans.
I cannot help but be proud
of his fierceness,
I can’t help but understand
that he is yet a boy,
and does not understand what war is.

I am sure that he was confused
and ashamed today.
He could not understand why
his father did not want to go
and fight the hated Americans,
when the guard came and took him away.
Away from me.

I can forgive my son his fierceness,
he does not yet know of war…but I do.
I have seen this once proud city,
the star of an age,
battered into ruins.
I have seen the people
buried under the rubble.
I have looked into the dead face
of a woman holding her dead baby,
half buried under the fallen buildings,
and known it to be my face.

Soon enough it will be me, dead,
holding my dead baby.
Then my son will be crying my name,
and tearing at the stone,
as I have seen other sons do.
And his father, as theirs,
will be away, fighting, or dead.
There will be no one to comfort him,
no one to explain.
And he will vow, that one day,
he will kill,
all those who have hurt him.
And I cannot help but be sad,
and proud.

"Unto the seventh generation."2

–Erthona
____________________________________________________________
1 Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” Act 4 scene 1
2 Matthew 22:26

©2005-2014

Hi dale,
you and I both know that I have read this before...but your reason for reposting is sad and valid. I wish it were not so, but wonder how many more times it will need to be reposted. Perhaps every day.
No nits then or now.
Best,
tectak
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#3
it is a sad one but at the same time there's a kind of peace within the father; maybe a resignation that wars will always continue. maybe that's why he doesn't fight (no one wins)

though i know it has nothing to do wit the dead journalist killed a few days ago. i am reminded of it and the consequences of the death.
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#4
Ditto Tom.

Billy - murder breeds hurt, hurt breeds resentment, and resentment breeds a desire for revenge. I think it can be applied to small events, such as the journalist, even more so in this day and age of instant multimedia coverage. There is already a woman from the UK who moved to Syria who wants to be a copycat killer, and be the next to behead someone from the UK or America. The whole thing in the middle east is a feud.

Dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?

The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
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#5
A polished piece Dale. My only critique would be that the line, 'he does not yet know of war...' It sounds archaic compared to the other language. Maybe simply: 'he does not know of war yet...'

I agree, it's a futile cycle for certain.

Good to see you up and about my friend! Smile
My new watercolor: 'Nightmare After Christmas'/Chris
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#6
A worthy subject. My mother was born in Palestine, before 1948. She refused to hate those on the other side of the chain linked fence though she was told to call them "animals".
"Ignorance breeds fear, as fear breeds hate". How do we "carry on"?
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#7
Thanks Chris. I was trying not to end on a preposition, but I can see your point and maybe it would be wiser to write in the vernacular.

Poe,
Your mother was an amazing woman to reject the hate that was given out to children like mother's milk.

Dale
How long after picking up the brush, the first masterpiece?

The goal is not to obfuscate that which is clear, but make clear that which isn't.
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