AMIDA
TRUST

Poetry

Orchids and the three R's

by Joy Marston

Reaching for the remote as
war flickers in the corner.
Freeze frame, fast forward to the film.
Safely settled on the sofa
kids tucked in bed.
Centrally heated, double glazed
insulated.

This armchair arcade war
where game over means death
and there are only losers.
Send money, send toys, send a plaster.
Plaster over the cracks
as the mote grows
blinding.

Babies in plastic bags
switch over
grandmas in bloody rags
switch over
a flood in the mud
switch off.

The triumph of passion over logic
the racial imperative
the pride mentality.
The lion hunts the dear
fight fear with fear
we'll watch from here.

Racism, religion, retribution.
A bombing solution.
Christians bomb Christians
Iraqi Muslims offer support
to the Muslim cleansers.
Isrealies fight along side the Luftwaffer
to defend the oppressed
says the talk show guest.

Ours is media coverage
theirs is propoganda.
Libel and slander
with a world wide stage.
Histories page
separates goose from gander.
All the initials in a row
UN, NATO,
RUD, IRA,
NATZI, KLA,
friend and foe.
Tractor with trailor in tow.

J. Marston
April 2002