bombs are cold
explosions of bitterness
sucking the warmth
out of what remains
of possibility
bombs are greedy
machines, meant only
to destroy, burn
any seeds, annihilate
life
bombs are hungry
voracious conduits
for our worst impulses
eating our souls
from the inside out
A quadrille for dVerse, where Lisa has given us the word warm. In 2014 I did a series called “What Is It Good For?” on memadtwo. There were, as always, many conflicts in the news. Hearing this song from Buddy and Julie Miller this morning, it reminded me of the art from those posts.
It also made me think again of how cold this winter will be for the Ukrainians and so many others the world over. How short our attention span. How little we have learned.
What IS it good for–the guns, the bombs, the dying? We know the answer.
K. 
I especially like:
“bombs are cold
explosions of bitterness”
All so true, and we do know the answer.
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We do (sigh). Thanks Merril.
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You’re very welcome.
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“Voracious conduits for our worst impulses” is a great description for both the objects and their use.
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Thanks Maria.
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I like how you used the prompt – your words are so true ❤
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Thanks. The prompt fit into my train of thought this morning…that’s often how I write.
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So decades past I recall the controversy whether insanity was a valid defense for murder. How backwards I thought. Of course, by definition an act of violence/murder is insane. No question. Consequence is about something else.
Don’t know that I’d relate that first image to bombs/conflict (too alive), but volcanic, yea maybe that and for Hawaii these days. Nice.
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Thanks Neil. I agree about the insanity defense. The whole world seems insane sometimes–why else would we be destroying our planet?
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HI Kerfe, you are very right with this poem. VEry impactful!
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Thanks Robbie. I wonder if we will ever escape from this endless cycle.
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Based on our history, I would hazard a guess at no, but people like us live in hope and continue to do our little bit.
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Yes, we can’t give up.
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How terrible and true 😦
💔
David
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Unfortunately…
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Your Quadrille is sobering, bombs represent what is wrong in our world .. humankind’s instinct to wage war.
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Thanks Helen. I wonder if it is really an instinct, or something we made up to justify our bad behavior….
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Ask the arms manufacturers. They’re doing very nicely out of wars.
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Indeed.
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Kerfe, in the upper right corner of your art, my eyes were drawn to what looks like a rabid rat rearing up to attack. Reena’s poem feels linked to your poem in that it feels like a terminus to a cycle. The warfare that has been going on for what is probably eons needs to end and I pray we are there! Never heard that song before. I thought it was going to be a cover of Jethro Tull’s song:
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Way too long. I’ll go take a look at Reena’s poem now.
Thanks for the link to the Jethro Tull song. I just got Julie and Buddy Miller out of the library.
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Profound. Praying for Ukraine! 🙏
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Thanks Tricia. They need as much help and hope as we can give them…
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👍
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…
“explosions of bitterness
sucking the warmth
out of what remains
of possibility”
It felt like we were all getting somewhere, previously. Then a few had to throw wrenches into the machinations. It’s so disappointingly tragic. Your poem captures the essence of this grief.
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Every line a startling truth! I now have an ear worm and the song “War” is on a loop!
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Thanks Muri. It’s a song that’s hard to escape.
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I think these cold explosions are felt by the earth. It has a rippling effect. I wonder when it will stop. The winter will be harsh.. sigh
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It will be, unfortunately. Thanks Truedessa.
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Alas it seems like bombs is how war is fought… a big tragedy
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Yes, there seems to be no escape.
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I agree with every word!
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It will be a long winter for them.
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Every word rings true, Kerfe, and that is so sad.
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It us Punam. I’m still hopeful that we will someday turn away from destruction. If we don’t, we will destroy ourselves in the process.
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I hope along with you and keep my fingers crossed.
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Love how you used this prompt, and the art is outstanding!
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Thanks!
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Well-said, Kerfe.
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