the house that war built (revised)

[mnaz]

(revised)

we kicked the imperial bastards out
muskets and paul revere with a shout
wrote of liberty, a new constitution
built a new house from old parts

we pushed west, destiny manifest
freed the natives from their land
gave them windswept mesas
the new house took shape

where all men are created equal
except for half-man slaves, some said
so we marched into our own hell
sacked and burned our own cities
riverbed ghosts clutching a flag
bull run and pickett’s charge
reenacted and still revered
in the house that war built

we fought cowboys and indians
the spanish, the kaiser, the mexicans
the banana belt rogues, and it peaked
we fought the mad fuhrer himself
the specter of self-annihilation
in the house that war built

we fought communists
above all, the communists
their evil agenda in the new tv age
they would come to make us slaves
so we fought them far away
in the house that war built

we voted generals to power
who built their vile industry
war is good for us, we screamed
and the death merchants too
keep us free and employed
in the house that war built

we propped up tyrants
against other tyrants worse
and when deals ran their course
we fought the same bastards again
marched on our own weapons
in the house that war built

we fought insurgents and militants
extremist fanatics, zealots and radicals
fought them all ten thousand miles away
but they kicked the imperial bastards out
wrote of sovereignty, a new constitution
in the house that war built

(2 / 6 / 11)

[revolutionrabbit]

and they kicked out the home of the slave
as they placed their hands over their hearts
or where a heart had once made a home
and sang the bar splattered bangle stammer

(your poem is darn inspired) dang!

[dadio]

Well written with fine theme.

[theirishsea]

A lot of unfortunately true history.

My favorite line?

freed the natives from their land

[stilltrucking]

Yes war has been good to us, up to now anyway.

Hell of a poem mnaz, I don't know what to say about, "inspired" yes that's it a fine piece of work.

favorite bit

their evil agenda in the new tv age
they would come to make us slaves

What was it Walt Kelly said about "we have met the enemy..."

[stilltrucking]

we make war on ourselves

[mnaz]

thanks jack. yes, very true. and slaves to "freedom" as well. the weapons industry is despicable to me . . . something about being mowed down with your own guns ...

thanks revolution, dadio, irish...

just agitatin'...