Don’t pray for the dead men. Please pray for the live ones…

Don’t pray for dead men. Please pray for the live ones.

A Poem by Coyote Poetry

 Dead soldiers cannot speak no-more. Us, who survived. We must speak for them. 

Forget your personal tragedy. We are all bitched from the start and you especially have to be hurt like hell before you can write seriously. But when you get the damned hurt use it”don’t cheat with it. Be as faithful to it as a scientist”but don’t think anything is of importance because it happens to you or anyone who belongs to you. About this time I wouldn’t blame you if you gave me a burst. Jesus, it’s marvellous to tell other people how to write, live, die, etc.–Hemingway

They wrote in the old days that it is sweet and fitting to die for one’s country. But in modern war there is nothing sweet nor fitting in your dying. You will die like a dog for no good reason.–Hemingway

“Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die.”
― Herbert Hoover

“It is forbidden to kill; therefore all murderers are punished unless they kill in large numbers and to the sound of trumpets.”
― Voltaire

                           Don’t pray for dead men. Pray for the live ones.

I stood with alone with my friend. A flag and photo for my missed friend on Memorial day. I told him. His girls are strong and beautiful. He is a Grandfather and the boys look like him. I whispered. I miss you my good friend. Old timers come near and pat my back. We stand in silence together. 

The old timers talked of the old wars. They don’t talk about the bad days. They talk about the good days. The days of drinking, laughing and celebrating life.  One of them looked sad and he told me. Only good thing about war. It make home so much sweeter and worthwhile. After I fought in Vietnam. My Detroit became wonderful and so damn beautiful. I came home and I thanks God for home and my family.

The soldiers come early on Memorial day. They stand with their memories and with men who understand the cost of war.

A WW2 Veteran offered his hand and he told me his name was Paul. I offered my hand and I told him my name is John. He held my hand a long time and he told me. John, you can’t forget the men lost to the wars but John. Don’t pray for the dead soldiers. They have found peace and they are with their brother soldiers  in paradise. We need to pray for the live soldiers. We need to pray daily and demand for peace over war.  Us, who saw war and gave our youth away for the hate of war. We must be the voice of sanity.

Memorial day is coming. Wars are alive and well in our world. Let’s pray our leaders learn kindness, concern and forgiveness. Allow this world to heal. Wounds can heal with the gift of water, food and medicine. Let’s pray no guns are being used today and the soldiers are coming home. Let’s pray we allow the soldiers to not learn blood and death. Please Lord of life and death. Allow the children to be children. To dance, sing and know laughter when youth is their wealth.

                           John Castellenas/Coyote