[Vision2020] Jennifer Harbury: "Truth, Torture and the American

[Ted Moffett]

The line "and God will fill the bullet holes with candy." from Rosten's
"Guernica" is one of the best examples of what poetry can do: express a
tremendous amount of meaning in very few words.  And on that note, with four
posts today from yours truly, I'm over the limit, so that's all folks...

Guernica
by Norman Rosten

In Guernica the dead children
Were laid out in order upon the sidewalk,
In their white starched dresses,
In their pitiful white dresses.
On their foreheads and breasts
Are the little holes where death came in
As thunder, while they were playing
Their important summer games.
Do not weep for them, *madre*.
They are gone forever, the little ones,
Straight to heaven to the saints,
and God will fill the bullet-holes with candy.


On 4/27/09, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
>
> Ted -
>
> My apologies for my misinterpretation of your comments.
>
> Perhaps a more appropriate song selection may be . . .
>
> "With God On Our Side"
> By Joan Baez
>
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pih1hVdflnQ
>
> Oh my name it is nothin'
> My age it means less
> The country I come from
> Is called the Midwest
> I's taught and brought up there
> The laws to abide
> And that land that I live in
> Has God on its side.
>
> Oh the history books tell it
> They tell it so well
> The cavalries charged
> The Indians fell
> The cavalries charged
> The Indians died
> Oh the country was young
> With God on its side.
>
> Oh the Spanish-American
> War had its day
> And the Civil War too
> Was soon laid away
> And the names of the heroes
> I's made to memorize
> With guns in their hands
> And God on their side.
>
> Oh the First World War, boys
> It closed out its fate
> The reason for fighting
> I never got straight
> But I learned to accept it
> Accept it with pride
> For you don't count the dead
> When God's on your side.
>
> When the Second World War
> Came to an end
> We forgave the Germans
> And we were friends
> Though they murdered six million
> In the ovens they fried
> The Germans now too
> Have God on their side.
>
> I've learned to hate Russians
> All through my whole life
> If another war starts
> It's them we must fight
> To hate them and fear them
> To run and to hide
> And accept it all bravely
> With God on my side.
>
> But now we got weapons
> Of the chemical dust
> If fire them we're forced to
> Then fire them we must
> One push of the button
> And a shot the world wide
> And you never ask questions
> When God's on your side.
>
> In a many dark hour
> I've been thinkin' about this
> That Jesus Christ
> Was betrayed by a kiss
> But I can't think for you
> You'll have to decide
> Whether Judas Iscariot
> Had God on his side.
>
> So now as I'm leavin'
> I'm weary as Hell
> The confusion I'm feelin'
> Ain't no tongue can tell
> The words fill my head
> And fall to the floor
> If God's on our side
> He'll stop the next war.
>
> Seeya at the Renaissance Fair and/or Farmers' Market, Moscow.
>
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>
> "So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't forget to
> have fun doin' it.  Lord, let your laughter ring forth.  Be outrageous,
> ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can
> produce.  And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer
> joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it
> was."
>
> - Molly
> Ivins
>
> ---------------------------------------------
> This message was sent by First Step Internet.
>           http://www.fsr.com/
>
>
>
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