Wednesday 23 March 2016

Losing the battle

It has happened. Already.

The caustic has become run of the mill. Normal. Acceptable.

I had a hunch this would happen.


Paris.

Beirut.

And a hundred places I don't even know about.

The numbers too dense to bother noticing.

Because I no longer care.

I have become immune to the brutal deaths.



Sacrifice is not always a good thing.

A man sacrifices himself to kill others.

I sacrifice my grief and despair for a clammy mind.

I sacrifice love for indifference.


Brussels.

31 dead. At least.

I barely flinch.

Be careful now.

This means they are winning.

2 comments:

Jae Rose said...

It is true that we do become immune and yet those last two lines are key - sadly i think the only way to 'win' is not to give them media fuel..every unjust death should be acknowledged but on and on this will go until enough becomes enough - heartfelt and clever poem

J Cosmo Newbery said...

They are seeking a reaction - we must be careful not to give up our freedoms in an over-reaction. The trouble is our politicians want to use the generated fear to increase their own powers. (What happened to the bombing of Darwin in WWII - where the public in Australia were not told about it, to avoid fear/panic?) Well done for discussing your feelings. I wish I had an answer.