The Only Way Out
The Only Way Out
"The only way out of this awful mess"
the soldier says to all the rest
"Is find a white towel or simple rag
and hang them on a stick .....
with any luck they won't shoot us
I'm willing to bet your eyes on that"
He says this primly behind his hand,
but the joke falls flat on its face.
Not far away, a little one cries,
she begs her mamma to stop the noise,
That wisdom makes when it finds itself
trapped between rock and hard place;
As it's been doing for thousands of years,
since Cain offed Abel in jealous rage
And wisdom stuck, between hard place and rock
always finds that easy way out!
So come on out blunt now
you stupid wisdom,
don't time your lie with us no more,
there's no‑one here in human racial
can stop this killing, or end this war,
But the ones who say "Let peace be with you"
just take your lumps from ignorance,
because ignorance is just human wisdom
afraid itself of being ignored
by justice, respect and simple mercy.
The stuff of life for which little ones cry,
and wisdom's soldiers on wisdom's orders
Make jokes about before they die.
