Five years have passed...

Almost one week ago was the 5th anniversary of the beginning of operations in Iraq. What was supoosed to last a couple of months, has become a bloody, an in many cases, unnecessary conflict, followed by political and economical interest of the people in the power. Many countries have withdrawn and almost 4,000 US lives have been taken away, among tens of thousand of Iraqi souls also.
A prayer to all the men and women in service, who were, who are and those who returned home. Here an extract of one of my favorite blank verse poems(along with The Fall of Hyperion) that, I think, epitomizes this conflict.

"I wish I could translate the hints about the dead young men
and women,
And the hints about old men and mothers, and the offspring
taken soon put of their laps.

What do you think has become of the young and old men?
And what do you think has become of the women and
children

They are alive and well somewhere,
The smallest sprout shows there is really no death,
And if ever there was it led forward life, and does not wait
at the end to arrest it
And ceas'd the moment life appear'd

All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses,
And to die is different from what any one supposed, and
luckier."(69)


"With music strong I come, with my cornets and my drums,
I play not marches for accepted victors only, I play marches
for conquer'd and slain persons.

Have you heard that it was good to gain the day?
I also say it is good to fall, battles are lost in the same spirit
in which they are won.

I beat and pound for the dead,
I blow through my embouchures my loudest and gayest
for them.

Vivas to those who have fail'd!
And to those whose war-vessels sank in the sea!
And to those themselves who sank in the sea!
And to all generals that lost engagements, and all overcome
heroes!
And the numberless unknown heroes equal to the greatest
heroes known!"(80-81)

"Song of Myself" in The Complete Poems. Walt Whitman. Penguin Classics: London. 2004.