Poetry seven (for Cindy Sheehan)

Mothers
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Mothers
sending your sons to school
Where were you
when they learn allegiance to a flag
Mothers
in the schoolyard they choose sides
Where were you
Mothers
Daddy is downtrodden at the supper table
Were you there
Mothers
Your sons lonely on the bus
they feel baited and belittled,
bullied and beaten,
with fists
learning things men do
heroes killing, glorious sacrifice
Mothers
Where were you
They’ve become hard and cruel
your sons
What did you tell your sons
Mothers
softness, the ways of compromise
Did you show them
Mothers
to be proud of tears
patience and tenderness
Mothers
When you went off to work
coming home tired
filling your empty houses
giving your best
or just enough
'till hearts drained vacant
waiting for your men Mothers
Was there time to teach them
Mothers
Mothers
Did you buy them guns for play
With no stories passed from your Mothers
in their stead you gave them TV
Mothers
Surprised were you
they speak of adventure
hearts dreaming exotic places
exotic women, celebrated missions
I‘m not blaming you
Mothers
But of warmth from your breasts
remains barely dusted memories
Mothers
Your sons have chosen
did you not warn them
You’ve lost them now,
Mothers, your sons
Your sons are killing now
in foreign lands
sons of mothers killing
killing sons of other Mothers
Here at home too
Only grief is winning
tears unseen
and the dead are silent, blind forever
Mothers
may your moans echo far
Mothers
to the palaces of states
to peoples
Awake: daughters
and their sons
O new Mothers!

Bologna, Italy August 22, 2005