Remembering You

As Remembrance Day approaches, it brought up many emotions. I composed this poem in dedication to every innocent life ever lost in war, regardless of country or creed. I utterly refuse to dismiss or demonize another human life simply because we are told they are enemies. Those who fight at the front lines, do so to protect the ones they love; they are often left with little to no choice.

In my poem, I talk about individuality and stand by that. There seems to be a great confusion between what it is to be united vs everyone acting and thinking the same. To me that seems like insanity, for reality is we see life through our independent set of glasses and those are never the same as our neighbor. This nonsensical desire to melt into one, is to me a great misunderstanding of deeper concepts.
I foment individuality because when we embrace our core, when we embrace all of ourselves with our light and darkness, we stop living in rigid delusion. We develop a better understanding of deeper concepts found within life, we develop strength and the ability to think for ourselves vs being told what to think.
Let us not confuse being humane with all acting the same. Let us not confuse standing together with all needing to behave as if we are all robots; for whenever a society foments a herd, there are the so called “shepherds” willing to lead–not always in our best interest.

Unless one has looked into the eyes of the one on the other side of the trigger, one cannot begin to understand how taking a life can mark you, much more if our soul does not understand why.

It is for those whose lives were taken and for those who have to live with the memory of the lives they took, that this is written; to honor them. Honoring the nightmares those who survive have to live with, and to honor the memory of those who no longer walk this earth but are remembered by those they left behind.

REMEMBERING YOU

What is war but sickening greed
Where the ones pulling the strings 
Remain hiding in undeserving safety.

What is war but the loss of human life
Where there are no winners in either side
But emptiness and pain
Within the hearts of loved ones left behind.

The ancient code of honor now dead,
Once we fought with honesty and courage
Now we fight for corporate greed
Innocent blood sacrificed for their sins.

One by one idealistic souls line up
One by one, I too take my place
In the background the only music I hear
Are the heart wrenching cries of my wife and child
Calling to me "please come back"

For a moment my spirit hesitates
I want to look back, but I can't 
I know if I do, I will lose my nerve.

Scared but determined I leave my loved ones behind
To fight a war that isn't really mine
Meantime my fellow marching men
Torn between country and self. 

How frail is our compassion
Like thin glass, easily it shatters
How frail is our resolve for love
When facing the monster of hate and its sword

Is this really our nature? I ask
Are we just nothing but puppets wearing masks?
How weak are we when we stop listening to our heart
The result of giving up our individuality
To become nothing but sheep

On the empty field I hear bombs like thunder
Bullets like poison snakes forcing surrender
Everywhere I see there is pain
Broken bodies...
Broken souls...
While my ears listen to their screams
I fear I shall lose my sanity.

I look up and see him standing
His rifle aimed at my heart
No one prepared me for this
Within his eyes there is no hate
Just another soul forced to be here
By the hypocrisy of wealthy men.

I rise my own weapon
Neither one of us pulls the trigger
We are both shaking, missing the comfort of home
Is this our last moment?
If so, I fear there is no God.

"God is dead" long ago it was proclaimed
At this moment I believe this to be true
For we live in a world where brother kills brother
Humanity has been sacrificed 
God no longer hear us
She was murdered by puppeteers in disguise.

A bomb explodes unexpectedly
Without thinking our fingers pull the trigger
One last look at my fallen brother
He is as scared as I am 

We fall to the ground 
This is our end
Blood flows like a river
As we take our last sigh

Peace is the forgotten dove 
Which hopelessly seeks refuge
No place to land, in world drowning in hate.

As my spirit takes off, I look back 
I weep not just for those I love
I weep for all humanity
I weep for those yet to be born

Oh, mother earth, how deep is your pain
You are kept torn between love 
And the vanity of false masters
When it comes to the evil in men's hearts
Not much has changed

I look around, there is my brother in arms
The one I was to hate, not understanding why
As we embrace in a place of no space and time
Our hearts call out to those left behind...

May you rise with dignity
May you learn to use your voice
And your capacity of choice

May you remember before you take a life
That is your brother or sister
They too have families that loved them
They too are sacred and divine.

Sofia E. Falcone