INHERITED TRAUMA

In Europe’s New World
Its Indigenous Peoples
Were Decimated
By Disease and War.

They Raged, raged Against
The dying of their World
And Mourned 
Their broken Lives.

In acts of Restitution
They Fought
So called
Mourning Wars.

Against Neighbors
And long time enemies 
Alike, they made War
To restore a Balance. 

They Fought 
To capture slaves
Hostages and the Young
To Replace their Dead.

The worst of Societal Decay 
Was thus brutally Staunched
And Bereft Nations gathered 
Strength to Live another Day.

        * * *

Now, after the Collapse
Of its Hegemony, America
Fights its Mourning Wars:
Wars to Kill and Torture. 

Wars that feed
The Corruption of the State
And Exacerbate
Its Impotence and Decay.

Hollow Military Rituals 
Or Shock and Awe 
That Fail, and fail again
To Restore our broken Nation.

We Rage, rage Against
The dying of our World
And gather round us
The Ghosts of Olden Days.