Will Kirkland, 2002

We are being betrayed.

Go down the road, they say
          Go down, go down;
Promises are made: the road
           To peace
                              is sacrifice.

We are being waved
On by men who say they know
           Go on, go on!
They stand. We walk. They say

We need your son your
Daughter too. We’ll hold
your money for you.
They say they’ll pray,
           these men.
When this is over, peace will come.

But we’re afraid
We are being betrayed
That roads like this have other ends
For such
           as us.

The men above will long be gone.
Be gone and warm at home;
Children near;
protected from the poor

While we are stunned and mourning
Children gone, and money too;
Fearing, hating, watching others,
down the road aways and coming

Because of promises received
           Of such a road
To lead to somewhere
Better
That has lead us neither, nowhere,
Except
this end
           of mutual mourning