June 30, 2009

Columbia (for a Poets Against the War reading Feb 2003)

Columbia, Columbia, fire of the skies, you are but one
That we look up to:
Congress, Court, President; Your powers three
are there for
Us. We cry for our five
intrepid explorers. Not since 1986


Has curiosity been so costly. Two hundred and sixty
Million people shed tears that day. With this, the crying should be complete, should not one
more tear be shed for those who we hold so dear. It is no longer 1965,
the world has changed and war is not an option. Now not even two
years removed from those four
deadly attacks and the lessons have yet to be learned. We are grateful that only three


hit their targets. Three
manned missiles, each containing less than six
enemies apiece, and the huddling mass of scared America could only subdue one of four.
The ones
that hit created heroes in foreign lands, still towers fell. Hit were two
symbols of commercial strength, and one of military might, but now must we unleash our forces five?


USAF, USMC, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, we have unquestioned might. But these five,
if unfettered, breed more adversaries than they stifle. A nascent nation, the 13
independent states, Signed an oath that we shall be free. One reason for this birth was to
establish justice. Hope that in 1776,
justice had a different definition than imperialistic warfare. If so, be afraid for Amendment One.
anxiety is justifiable; our inalienable rights have been forfeited before


In uncertain times. Lincoln took similar liberties, and he would still speak of an idealistic time, four
score and seven years ago. For integrity, we look at a man over five
hundred score in past memory. Columbia, you are still one
nation under God, and it is his will you serve; Him and his body three.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, he that in six
days created all that we know. He made man in his image and gave this terrestrial paradise to


us. When was this entire realm granted exclusively to
Columbia? Never. We are but solely the guardians of these four
little corners that he has allowed us to inhabit. Our will shouldn’t stretch over the six
inhabitable continents. Five
millennia of written history, and three
spirits in steadfast watch know all empires someday fall, perhaps even this one

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