Ode to War

My Grandfather went off to war
Fighting Japanese who'd bombed our shore
Hiroshima, Nagasaki paid the price-we dropped the bomb
Grandparents, mothers, and children burned and gone
The cost too high? Yes to be sure
I know what we were fighting for

The world as one had gone to war
Families murdered, burned, the horror
When it was over Hitler was dead
No price too much upon his head
Far across the distant shore
I know what they were fighting for

My Uncle Bruce went off to war
Navigating spy planes o’er the shore
The Chaplin said, "Your son is dead"
Granny sadly hung her head
My uncle went away to war
Don't know what he was fighting for

My Daddy went away to war
Scouting runways by the jungle floor
He came home but had lost his smile
I've looked for it all the while
My Daddy went away to war
Don't know what he was fighting for

Our soldiers going off to war
Mothers, fathers, sons and more
On desert sands, dirt in their eyes
For oil, my God please hear their cries
They’re brave and strong right to the core
Not sure, what are they fighting for?

My friend’s son returned from war
He knew just what he would endure
When they brought him off the plane
A cold, wooden box with his remains
A mother’s heart broken, on her knees fell to the floor
“My God what are we fighting for?”

Deborah Jean 11/11/07