July 4th 2010

Newspapers, supposed to fade to the Internet.
Then, a brilliant piece of reporting.
Renews my faith in journalism.

Brendan Marrocco, front page full color, July Fourth.
He looks down where his legs used to be.
Propped on his shoulders, where arms used to be.
Damm, just can’t get that picture out of my sight

I think, “The Times” is beating the obit.
Can it explain to Brendan
What he lost it all for? They could say,
It was, funny war against WMD. Oh, Weapons of Mass Destruction.
No,” it was for Middle East, Democracy.” Maybe even oil?
“The war to end all wars” Damm, that was World War One.
‘All Quiet on the Western Front.” Great movie.

Maybe it started in 1194 BC Trojans against Greeks
The Iliad masterpiece of literature. Great read.
Ulysses, Achilles, Agamemnon, Zeus, Apollo, Poseidon Helen Paris
Gods, soldiers, mothers, fathers, fighting it out. Where have the Gods gone?
Just a good story? No color photos to scream the horrors.
Like you Brendan, showing off the wonders of war.

Don’t forget the glorification. Richard The Lion heart,
Alexander, Julius Caesar, Napoleon, Hannibal
Right on down to Patton. Slapped a shell shocked soldier
“Not going to tolerate malingerers.” There’s tough war talk.
Is that the attraction? Tough manly macho talk?

We used to sing soldiers off to war. We’re Tenting Tonight,
Long Way from Tipperary, Over There and we wont come -----
I thought when we stopped singing you off to----

Brendan you know what I mean?
It, meant it was over, Men were going to quit that game.
Brendan did you think of it as a game?
I know you are trying to be optimistic.
Then please, don’t ever ask yourself why?