Dear Sir
My dear son was killed in the war — thus, his young life was snatched away,
And his pup still waits at the gate thinking that he’ll come home some day.
We’re taking this loss very badly — I have lost the son I bore,
And I just cannot believe, sir, that he’ll not come back through the door.
My hubby has gone very quiet, and I am shedding tears all day,
Our life is just not the same now, for its sparkle has gone away.
Now each day seems rather empty, and the dreams we had lie shattered,
For the blood of our much loved son, sir, on foreign soil is scattered.
Was this war avoidable? If it was, who has blood on their hands?
Who is therefore guilty of murder? Who devised such monstrous plans?
Yes, who is guilty, sir? Perhaps many, I really do not know;
And I’m just hoping that my son did not die pointlessly so.
His younger sister has his photo in a frame beside her bed;
“Oh, mummy”, she keeps on crying, “I just can’t believe that he’s dead".
Her other brother is angry, for his best mate has gone for good,
And he won’t talk about his grief, even though I think that he should.
Daughters too, sir, have been killed — oh, how such news shocks when it arrives,
Oh, how I hate all this warring, for such shows no respect for lives.
Some have lost a husband or wife…excuse me…"What did you say, dear?"
Oh no, another soldier has just died — thus, more folk grief will share.
Ever since our dear son’s death, every new death has just fed our pain,
For it seems that there’s no let up, and it’s so hard to bear such strain.
And we can’t help but wonder, could these deaths have all been in vain?
Though war's always a dreadful waste of lives — all this killing insane.
My heart has been badly broken, sir, and the hearts of others too,
For my son won’t be coming back — no, someone’s son my son slew.
Thus, our lives are in tatters. Tell me, was this war necessary?
I mean, really necessary? I need to know. Yours sincerely.
By Lance Landall
Let Me Be
All I want is to live a good life, and peaceably so, for I would never think to hurt another,
But rather, I desire what is best for all, and consider each one as being a sister and brother.
Thus, I have no agenda, no desire to break the law, no desire to harm, lie, deceive, cheat or steal,
But rather, where there’s sufferers and unfairness, I desire to protect, defend, help, support and heal.
Yes, all I want is to be left alone to enjoy my life, to pursue my own interests and dreams,
Thus free from any wrongful interference, and well away from any person who evilly schemes.
I’ve no malice in my heart, no desire to avenge, nor will I trample on others to get ahead,
For I believe that one should just be very grateful if they are healthy, housed, clothed, helped, loved, and well fed.
All I want too, is to be able to practice my faith, to express my views, written or verbally,
Protected by laws that strongly guard and enshrine freedom of speech, civil and religious liberty.
For without any of these, I could never fully be me, and therefore would hardly be left alone,
Which, at the end of the day, I must say, would effectively mean that my life wasn’t really my own.
And nor that of my spouse, family or friends, who I just want to be able to quietly enjoy,
That is, without some persecutor, plotter, tyrant, zealot or bigot stealing both theirs and my joy.
And they being, those not content to leave others alone, but who seek to harm, force, control or buttonhole,
Such being the way of the selfish, cold, callous, misguided, deluded, deceived — who're the bane of one's soul.
By Lance Landall
