Alone I bear no shame
I Kill For God
I kill for God and country
My family waits at home
For me to bring the bacon
And sweet meats from the bone
Of those whom God has sent me
To help Him take their lives
So they might know the bosom
Left empty in their wives
For revenge and territory
I have marched on city gates
Lain hidden in the wheatfields
Where the reaper worm awaits
Yes, I kill for God and country
I am His holy triggerman
Gone forth in psalm and silence
A sniper in the land
Thou shalt not see me coming
Thou shalt only feel my will
As I steady aim and fire
And execute the kill
This is my solemn duty
My allegiance unforsworn
A pledge made blind and faithful
Where loyalty is borne
On absolute obedience
Of men who will not ask
Or question why they do this
Who complete the given task
Who kill for God and country
And carry proud the flag
Of destiny and empire
That cloaks the body bag
I kill for God and country
To rid the world thereof
Both infidel and atheist
To spread the gospel Love
Yes, I kill for God and country
Alone I bear no shame
For who will stand in trial for
These things done in His name?
These things done in His name?
Joseph Gallo
December 9, 2006
All photos by Joseph Gallo taken May 2004 at the
Living Memorial Sculpture Garden & Labyrinth
post-time 10:55 AM
9 Comments:
This reminds me - I just viewed the movie SERENITY again last night and this reminds me of the character of "the Operative". "Shepherd Book" describes him as a man who "believes hard, kills and doesn't ask why", and he spouts long speeches to his victims about how what he does is "making a BETTER WORLD".
We have hints that Book himself might have been such a man at one time, so the movie ends on a somewhat hopeful note, when the Operative repents of his role.
Maybe, if guys like Smedley Butler can repent, there might be at least a glimmer of hope for this battered world.
Oh, yeah, I forgot: "BITCHEN POEM, JG!" :clap:
As always, you always gift me with references to things I have no knowledge of, JJ. Thanks for the leads on Serenity and Smedley Butler.
And thanks for the feedback on the words. I wrote these song lyrics while still in spirit of John Lennon from the day before and after seeing a promo for some program called For God & Country on the History Channel, I believe.
Words and music came together, so I guess it's a kind of homage to Buffy Sainte-Marie whose song Universal Soldier I posted over at Yarblehead a couple of days ago.
Onward we hope to march from the oblivion of war to the pavilions of peace. :-)
Thank you for this. Unfortunately, you've left me speechless so this comment will be lame - but in my indomitable way I will press on and write something here to at least indicate that I was here this day, at this time, and your words touched me.
Thank you.
Awww, Joni. Lame is a donkey on crutches. You're nowhere near that and I won't go there. ;-)
Your words have expressed a strong sense that you too feel this propensity to war so inherent in Man can be a hard-wired behavior capable of being updated, its BIOS flashed into change.
To lose this ideal, to surrender to the pessimistic view that oblivion is the last dance on our collective card, is to be complicit in the lunacy of madmen who wish to dominate and rule by fear.
The promotion and waging of peace happily goes against all of this. The removal by all legal means necessary of these souless, ruthless warmongers from global society is the true duty of every human patriot whose allegiances are pledged solely to world peace.
I'll stand trial Joseph. What more can I say or do. I plod along with hard head and softening temper and bang my lonely drum. More deeply do I recognise my beating heart when I read such as your beautiful poetry. More shattered is my gift if I don't try to live out my understanding of the senseless collage assembled in my head...
Thank you for the Sculpture garden link and photos. And thank you once again for your encouragement.
Donkey on crutches - LOL. :)
I can't focus on the words much b/c the photos are so striking they speak more loudly as I scroll down...
This is one entry I'd love to see on actual paper, in my hands, not confined by the computer screen.
Very powerful.
billie
I sent this to a couple of friends with a link to this blog.
Seeing as so many are opposed it's incredible that they are able to continue... "Ok, Iraq is down, who's next?" The real reasons will be made public 25 or 50 years from now and some future presidents and prime ministers will issue public apologies when those actually responsible are safely in the ground...
Lovely to see you, Marit, and thanks for helping the growing majority of sane people over here in the USA in trying to oust and rid ourselves of these madmen who would plunge the world into an ocean of blood in the name of having set a sinking ship towards a dark and occluded star.
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