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I walk this imperial capital
looking for War Memorials
they should litter the place what with all the
blood it took to raise it up
from malarial swamp to
“God’s” right hand sword of smite
I walk head down through the rain
past the homeless
looking for the damn things
but everywhere there’s only men on horses
and anybody who knows knows
those aren’t War Memorials
that proud littleboy bravery
so easily manipulated by the politicians
and war profiteers
is exactly what causes the problem
no, where are the War Memorials?
the men and women without limbs?
the piles and piles of precious lives discarded?
the carnage so thick
the vultures turn away
where are the widows and the parentless children?
where is the raping and the bloodlust of the “heroes?”
where are the fields laid barren the cities burnt
the corpses unrecognizably bloated and charred?
(the bombsights and computer screens
not providing enough distance that somehow
forgiveness and horror are moot)
no, there are no war memorials here
this is no imperial city
it is a city
wanting to forget needing to forget
a city armed to its titanium teeth
with forgetfulness
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