Peace on Earth

Lines rehearsed, yet still unspoken.

Spirit crushed, but never broken,

you lay your life down as a token –

serve your country proud.

Eyes squeezed shut amidst the violence,

mouths that curve in sorrowed silence –

no one bothers with the why since

towers crumbled in a cloud.

Charred devotion masquerading,

empty praise while truth debating;

serve your idols, vain and hating –

we practice idle worship, too.

Send your armies in to maim us,

guilty, too, for what you blame us –

infidels, outright, and shameless,

but what must god perceive in you?

Look beyond mere bricks and mortar,

manmade lines, unnatural borders,

see creation without order,

not as God intended.

Neglected hearts have cracked and crumbled,

godless men their masses stumbled,

hearts have hardened, few are humble,

war and chaos they’ve befriended.

Loveless lives and reckless living,

pay a priest, confess, keep giving

(shallow faith is unforgiving),

light a candle, watch it burn.

Wicked hearts that feed on power,

bleed the land, collapse the tower.

You kill to make your brother cower;

will you ever learn?

While nations battle, hope is dying,

children murdered, mothers crying,

none on hope or faith relying

all the world around.

Victory cannot bring us peace,

war will not provide release:

death toll rising will not cease

until we lay our weapons down.