In Two Minutes          by Tony Smith

Reflect for two minutes on conflicts and strife;
November eleven is Armistice Day.
Rejoice for the ones, who gave us our life,
our civilised freedom to live in this way.

Two wars of the world to realise this;
there is no backdoor to the earth where we live.
Nations will mingle, lovers will kiss;
ask not what you want, say what can I give.

Reading the grains of the sand as they bleed
minority folk abused and suppressed.
The brunt of a government fuelled by its greed
Aztecs or Basques, or Chechens aggressed.

The Romans, the Greeks, and others with swords
all lost their loved ones in fighting a cause.
Chieftains in clans or Mongols in hordes;
two minutes of silence to think and just pause.

Yes, reflect on the men and women who died
but of thousands of mules and animals too.
They had no choice, with harnesses tied,
exploited by man and barbarously slew.

We learn not our lesson; the wars are still here;
still the greed for the gold, the oil and the land.
Why dominate others that languish in fear
for in less than two minutes you shake someone’s hand.

Resolve in two minutes to thank for the past;
applaud and be grateful for all they have done.
Pride your red poppy, make peace that will last;
all wars that are fought are lost, ---never won!