Sacrifice

The torn children stand puzzled on a field
Lines drawn no longer seen flank horizons
bending trails of fire carpet the skies
The father left behind with gun their mother blinded
by shrapnel scars she managed to find food until
just now she lies still under the smoldering heat

The soldiers came without invitation or any idea
where they were yet in the back of the jolting vehicle
they sit clutching their automatic weapons hungry and mad
orders is orders and yet the dreadful task ahead bears down
their commander is the beast himself and fear infected these drones
to kill without care while the leader smug in his palace
sleeps in silk with his whores as they tie tourniquet over severed limbs

The puzzled people are also suffering as their bank accounts emptied
the shelves are ransacked in the town and the children are crying
what is this all for? a mother screams at the icy air
as reports filtered in full of vague claims of justified bitterness
every word is a lie the family knows only their own suffering
brutal images creep in messages from neighbours
what is this all for? the mother screams as yet another political puppet
explains how it all necessary and your sacrifice is loyalty
the leader snug in his palace with his unthinkable wealth
the children malnourished die in their thousands