Do you wonder at it

Do you wonder at it

The silence

Thin-skinned

Brittle faced smiles

Bartenders with bare arms

Tattoos of peace and love

In lieu of war

The laughter in pain

The pleasure of it

Upturned glasses

Drinking games

Hulking figures

Obscured in shadow

The coil of smoke

From an open fire

Where battle-weary veterans

Wait for retirement

The lack of effort

Promoting an end

To debauchery

Cruelty becomes normative

Excuses abound

For slaughter

As lost boys play at life,

Jibing with sharp sticks.

Broken promises

Pour forth

In a tumble of sorrow

We are all complicit

In the deceit.

As the scent of victory

Lingers in defeat

And nobody wins

The peace

Playing pool.

As wars roll on

Forever.