Observation

Donald H. Sage, Sr., 1944

How little we have learned these past few thousand years
how pitifully little:““
from the dawn of history
this earth has been drenched with blood
and human hands have given pain
while roses are blood red
and poppies symbolize sudden-death--by the hand of man:
man against man
tribe against tribe
primitive nation against primitive nation
civilization against civilization

Peace will not come from the minds of man
but from the heart of mankind
yet even now men's minds plan power pacts
reprisals of sorts
selfish aims of economic justification:
"it must not happen again."
While we treadmill once more on the path of conflict.

Somehow happiness seems to consist of getting more--
not making the most of what we have.
O yes, we've heard of starvation in China and Greece
human bonfires in Poland
O yes, we must help feed Europe
but will we buy Europe's handiwork and so help Europe to help itself?
Has the Gestapo ever generated love?
Or has it buried men's emotions deep within themselves awaiting liberation?
Shall nation treat nation thus?
And will international gestapoism bring peace?

If peace is in the heart of man
it will generate peace.
If selfishness and personal gain are in the heart of man
international selfishness and gain will prevail:
like will attract like as always in human relations.

Man fights man for individual privileges which is interpreted
as man's desire to outstrip his fellow man in the race for more goods for himself.
We look without for more panaceas
but we will not look within for the truth
that we stifle and hide behind our crust of civilization.

Let man then wage war total more devastating wars of liberation:
let us approach the next war more realistically
find speedier ways to annihilate other men women children
more efficient means to obliterate every trace of civilization

or let us face the way that leads to peace:

let there be a great silence until the still small voice of humanity
makes its universal truth heard:
peace will not come from the minds of man
but from the peace that lies deep in the heart of man.