Just what exactly are our soldiers doing out there?
Fallen empires are a sad sight
Clinging to legacies, sick old men
Old and grey, they remember their might
Diplomats sound like a cackling hen
Europe, old forgotten continent
You're naught but a shadow of your past
A hollow echo, the troops you sent
Your crumbling empires did not last
A civilization doomed to die
Sends its soldiers to a foreign land
The deserts hear Europe's battlecry
An imperial fit in the sand
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Written by Phil (6730 comments posted) 25th February 2007 |
How long do you think the Yanks have?
Interesting. Last verse the strongest for its imagery.
Phil. |
Written by Fledermaus (3306 comments posted) 25th February 2007 |
Thanks for you comment, Phil.
Who knows how long the US will be number 1? I think that within a fe hundred years it will be just a big country amongst the many... But I'm more concerned about what Europe will look like by that time. Perhaps I see too many historical paralels, but it makes me think of the Roman Empire in the 4th century... |
Written by Talisker (1326 comments posted) 27th February 2007 |
Hi Batty. Thought provoking little piece. I agree to an extent about the parallel betwenn present day Europe and the 4th century Roman Empire.
Thing is, Europe has always been just a concept, a disparate group of cultures, some with little in common, and much internicine fighting.
Unfortunately, Britain share a lot more than just a language with the US, we are closer to them culturally than we are to the French.
Oli  |
Old Europe
Written by Josie (2785 comments posted) 27th February 2007 |
| I'm not sure whether it is "old Europe" or mainly "old Britain" attached to the USA. I don't think that other European countries have as many of their fighting forces in Iraq or Afganistan as we have. Am I right? I agree with Oli's last paragraph. Then, after we have spent all our money on fighting, we are asking ourselves today where is the money coming from to care for the sick and the elderly of the future. I am sure that Iraq will help us then. |
Written by Tusk (53 comments posted) 27th February 2007 |
Loved the poetry, the rhyme was perfect.
I especially liked the opening line.
If there is a WWIII, Europe will probably be the France of WWII. |
Written by Fledermaus (3306 comments posted) 28th February 2007 |
Thanks Oli, Josie and Tusk
Oli: You're probably right. Tony Blair is often called the deputy of sheriff Bush and Britain the 51st state...
Josie: Not as many as the British, but the Italians and the Polish made up a large part of the coalition forces in Iraq and the Scandinavians and the Dutch participate in Afghanistan. Not that Afghanistan ever attacked Denmark or Holland, but appearantly the politicians want to test their newly aquired weapons 
Tusk: Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad you liked it. Let's hope there won't be a WW3, but I think you're right about its military capabilities. A huge army, but absolutely no strategy... |
A simple fact
Written by bwoz (125 comments posted) 3rd March 2007 |
I can only say what I believe is the truth about what our soldiers are doing out there in the desert sands.
It is a human tendancy to control; armies were created to force leverage over others for control; governments were devised to "manage" that control (the armies) and to generate capitol (money) to leverage even more control.
I think if it was a mandate that all politicians must first be soldiers we would still have wars, but they would be much shorter, closer to home, and always have a beer bust at the end.
Nice poem -- really states a strong view without getting overly political.
BW |
Written by Witzl (1585 comments posted) 3rd March 2007 |
What a great idea: making soldiers out of politicians. I know who I'd like to pick for the front line, but he'd probably be able to buy his way out of it again.
I like this poem too, Fledermaus. Though to me the diplomats sound more like tired old roosters: hens just churn out more eggs to get broken and eaten, but roosters crow for the sake of crowing. |
Written by Fledermaus (3306 comments posted) 4th March 2007 |
Thanks bwoz and witzl.
Bwoz. On the one hand I agree with you. Politicians should know what war is before they send in troops. yet on the other hand, the USA and the USSR have had presidents which were soldiers and it didn't keep them from adventures oversea...
Witzl: Probably so. But they make a lot of noise too  |
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