Listen to Live Reading
No swords
No bitterness or hatred
No learning ever wasted
No memories replaced with empty voids
No troops deployed
No paranoid delusions or confusion as to who or what or why or where or how to best avoid
No actions maladroit
Reactions any less than dignified
No need for taking sides or pulling rank to stigmatize
Nothing quite so rotten or uncivilised
No bitter eyes epitomizing all that I abhor
No part of me legitimizing just another blindfold war
Not party to a fight when I am out of sight and mindful of no reasons left for fighting for
When there were never any to begin with
Don’t possess the discontent to sin with
No swords or shields be raised
On this or any other one fine day
As an English gentleman with faith in pride of place
I bid your soul amazing grace
Ten thousand sweetened dreams to chase
And this shall infinitely be my way
Richard Charles Stevens