Speculation on what might cause people to cast war as a deity.
In honor of Host’s Mars, Bringer of War I used a 5-beat foot (each divided 3- and 2-).
For the record, I prefer peace to war. But ever since I heard the Gulf War Song by Moxy Früvous many years ago I’ve never forgotten their line “don’t tell me I can’t fight or I’ll punch out your lights.” There’s an illusion if inevitability about war that I think on from time to time.
Mars is a planet named for a god Whom now we think awful, once all would laud. This war, which we hate so once held a place To get the best planet the eye’s seen in space. Old Jupiter’s fainter and moves e’er so slow And Venus is brighter but brief is its glow. When cholera, famine, and blight took the rest, To die by the sword seemed the obvious best.
Near Rome (when ’twas small) another land stood; They worshiped just peace and all that was good. When Rome’s questing army came within sight The people surrendered, none tried to fight. And thus there’s no peace god; war won instead: There’s one god of war, and one of the dead.
“Why did you hit your brother?” We know: “My god told me to”: an answer so glad It lets us all feel devoted, not bad. Does “why were you nice?” need “god”? Answer: no.
Looking for comments…