They’re all dead and have become legend

the chewing of the mice in the mud

and the groaning of the brothers trapped on barbed wires

as the bullets screamed into their heads

who could believe it happened?

Who could believe that the gas volumetrically flowed

over white and tired faces

their gasmasks loose

as spontaneous twitching

and acid burning

made them dance perverse waltzes across the craters?

The saluting of generals

and the inbred aristocracy wiping noses of snuff

work to create greed inspired borders

and empower the money hoarders

as Woodrow Wilson lolls his head before the stroke

and his great dreams become magician’s smoke

the 4 points of the compass rose beat his 14.

There’s no lasting world peace in 1918

there’s just a break before the next war

as Hitler and Churchill knew –

Goddamn is the only worthy swear

those bleached skulls devoid of soft and tender ears

won’t be able to hear

when open salvos break the bones of their children

in Berlin

and of their children punji-staked in Southeast Asia

and their children car bombed in the Middle East

and their children fearing the fungal growth

of the mushroom cloud,

who today gather around and read of the

war to end war.