Someone somewhere somehow insults another.

Blink:

and they are dug in bristling,

gaping barrels pointed at you

and your children.

 

Trust in logic,

do as they say,

respect authority.

 

Empty beer bottles linger

outside the administration building,

and they say:

on your honor

(don’t you want honor?)

let me brainwash you,

go and tell your children

war is necessary.

 

And they say:

observe the beauty of these black beasts

we made,

you helped make those raining ashes.

 

We have power,

let me give you power.

You can kill them all,

their pets and houseplants too.

Let us stand here on the field,

among the grasses that bend

in reverence to us.

 

And they say:

do you want honor?

Gnash your teeth and go

participate in the dance with death

perfectly justified.

 

And at last they are done with their talking,

they wait hungrily,

the empty windless field,

all quiet

in reverence to a greater power.

 

What if they had a war

and nobody came?