conuly

For my A Level in English literature we studied war literature. One of the poems which struck me the most and has stayed with me is the following. Your post reminded me of it.

From a German War Primer
When the leaders speak of peace
The common folk know
That war is coming.
When the leaders curse war
The mobilization order is already written out.

Those at the top say: peace and war
Are of different substance.
But their peace and their war
Are like wind and storm.

War grows from their peace
Like son from his mother
He bears
Her frightful features.

Their war kills
Whatever their peace
Has left over.

On the wall was chalked:
They want war.
The man who wrote it
Has already fallen.

- Bertolt Brecht

(In its full context here (http://www.plagiarist.com/poetry/?wid=5679).)