J. R. Carpenter (Canada): A Verse to War

A Verse to War

I am afraid

(of what will happen

of the rhetoric

of the silence

of not knowing).

I am afraid I don’t know what to contribute.

I am afraid

(of destruction

of waiting

of doing nothing

of adding fuel to the flames).

I am afraid I don’t have any answers.

I am afraid

(of trivializing

of propagandizing

of margins

of error).

I am afraid it is but a meager thing to add

a verse adverse to war.

J. R. Carpenter