.

Losing Battles

It seems when we declare a war,
we rarely win them anymore.
So, though much money will be spent
by our corrupted government,
the thing on which war’s been declared
is very likely to be spared.

A recent war was Poverty.
A worthy target certainly.
With trillion after trillion spent,
we haven’t even made a dent,
but we’ve heard many empty quotes
that only served to buy more votes.

The War on Drugs was then declared,
and drugs, perhaps felt briefly scared.
We haven’t yet declared defeat,
but we are in a full retreat.
Now drugs and needles can be found
wherever kids are all around.

We launch more wars and then pretend
we have a plan to somehow end
the war that we began today
forgetting wars launched yesterday.
We’re good at spending more and more
but don’t know how to win a war.

But politicians can’t admit,
when outcomes are the opposite.
So, endless hearings will be held
to make it seem like we excelled,
with many sound bites on TV
for all the lobbyists to see.

But politicians still excel
at doing one thing very well.
They can’t beat poverty or drugs,
but they will send out teams of thugs
to hunt down anyone who knows
our emperor’s not wearing clothes.

.

.

Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas.

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22 Responses

  1. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Great poem that makes the perfect political statement. Of course, the gifting of billions of dollars in equipment to the Taliban could be added, but this is an excellent list of the waste of tax dollars that could have reduced federal debt, balanced the budget, and saved the taxpayers trillions.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      Funding the Taliban is another great example. I also enjoyed reading about how the CIA used our tax dollars to cover up the origins of Covid (which they may well have funded as well). There are new (and depressing) examples almost daily.

      Reply
      • Joseph S. Salemi

        JFK wanted to cut our out-of-control CIA down to a controllable institution, after its many blunders and crimes. That’s why he was cut down in Dallas 60 years ago, with CIA collusion.

  2. Phil S. Rogers

    Warren;
    A really great poem to start my day. The truth, right on target. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Cheryl Corey

    Great poem, Warren. It seems that the government always has to declare “war” on something – witness “climate change” – to give themselves permission to take command of resources, redistribute wealth, create new regulations, etc.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      You nailed it. We pick the wrong wars and then don’t even fight to win we do go to war.

      Reply
  4. Mike Bryant

    This poem says it like it is. It seems that any “war” is just an excuse to spend lots of money. Of course, the big guys take their take, bureaucracies are created, taxes are raised, and everyone’s happy… except for the poor idiots paying the taxes and inflated costs of a hopelessly corrupt system.
    BUT if you can get in on the larceny… you’re golden!
    Great poem.
    Oh yeah, don’t forget “EMERGENCY” another great way to soak the masses.
    As everyone knows we are in a climate emergency now… we used to call it summer. It’s only a matter of time before UFOs (or is it UAPs, it’s hard to keep up) are an emergency. And big Pharma is still getting new Covid vaccines approved for “emergency” use… give me a break!

    Reply
  5. Cynthia Erlandson

    They declare a war on terror, and then let who knows how many terrorists come in over the border, because it wouldn’t be compassionate to stop them. Thank you for the poem, Warren.

    Reply
      • Joseph S. Salemi

        Today “terrorist” means anyone who gets in the way of what the left-liberal Deep State wants.

        It’s what the anti-Semite politician Karl Lueger in turn-of-the-century Vienna used to say: “A Jew is whoever I say is a Jew.”

  6. David Paul Behrens

    Masters of War (Song Lyrics)

    Come you masters of war
    You that build all the guns
    You that build the death planes
    You that build the big bombs
    You that hide behind walls
    You that hide behind desks
    I just want you to know
    I can see through your masks

    You that never done nothin’
    But build to destroy
    You play with my world
    Like it’s your little toy
    You put a gun in my hand
    And you hide from my eyes
    And you turn and run farther
    When the fast bullets fly

    Like Judas of old
    You lie and deceive
    A world war can be won
    You want me to believe
    But I see through your eyes
    And I see through your brain
    Like I see through the water
    That runs down my drain

    You fasten the triggers
    For the others to fire
    Then you sit back and watch
    When the death count gets higher
    You hide in your mansion
    As young people’s blood
    Flows out of their bodies
    And is buried in the mud

    You’ve thrown the worst fear
    That can ever be hurled
    Fear to bring children
    Into the world
    For threatening my baby
    Unborn and unnamed
    You ain’t worth the blood
    That runs in your veins

    How much do I know
    To talk out of turn
    You might say that I’m young
    You might say I’m unlearned
    But there’s one thing I know
    Though I’m younger than you
    Even Jesus would never
    Forgive what you do

    Let me ask you one question
    Is your money that good
    Will it buy you forgiveness
    Do you think that it could
    I think you will find
    When your death takes its toll
    All the money you made
    Will never buy back your soul

    And I hope that you die
    And your death will come soon
    I will follow your casket
    In the pale afternoon
    And I’ll watch while you’re lowered
    Down to your deathbed
    And I’ll stand over your grave
    Till I’m sure that you’re dead

    Bob Dylan – 1963

    Nice poem, Warren.

    Reply
  7. Warren Bonham

    Dylan was a giant. I’d be interested to hear what he thinks of the current insanity.

    Reply
    • Mike Bryant

      I looked up Dylan… I thought he had faded into the background but, apparently, he has 30+ tour dates THIS YEAR!

      Reply
      • Warren Bonham

        I had no idea he was still touring. I just added that to my To Do list for the fall.

      • David Paul Behrens

        Dylan turned 82 this year. He mostly lives on the road. Beginning what is called the Endless Tour in 1987, he plans to keep on performing until he drops dead or is otherwise incapacitated. Every concert is different and he never plays a song the same way twice. If you can get past his voice, his band is terrific. It’s always interesting. He is also a fine painter and occasionally a disc jockey on his own radio show called Theme Time Radio Hour.

  8. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Warren, you have captured in smooth-flowing, melodic stanzas, the circular journey to the devil’s cash cow that keeps on giving to the demons at the helm of the social-justice path to ruin… for all those liars claiming to help. Thanks for keeping the truth alive… a rare luxury in these dire days.

    Reply
    • Warren Bonham

      Thanks very much for the supportive comment. Whatever they say they’re doing ends up being the opposite of what they actually do (except for when they round up their adversaries – they’re very good at that). No matter the outcome, they end up doing very well personally.

      Reply
  9. David Whippman

    Well written and all too true. It’s the triumph of hype over substance.
    As for the last four lines: in Britain, it has been known for the police to follow up comments on social media and tell people: “We are here to check your thinking.” I find that terrifying, though in general I am a supporter of the police.

    Reply

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