From mud and gangrene boys we formed to hate
the neighbours, former friends we turned to foes,
while we sang songs, made graves, for those whose fate
was death, we left the others in their dirty clothes
to form their life away from murder, rape;
we turned our backs from boys that years transformed
to shadows from our common past they can’t escape,
they bear alone our guilt, disowned deformed;
and soldiers turn to husbands, fathers, sons
who learn that strength is silent, and that fists
is might, but words not worth to learn, that guns
will do the talking; thus ways of wars persist
until the silent soldier boys are crying
for what he learned we can stop his dying.
Marc Chagall
Today Punam is hosting dVerse and she want us to write about the horrors of war without discussing the cause, or if it is right or not. I actually focus on what war does to the soldier who survive. After every war we are always ashamed of those who return damaged and leave them to cope by themselves.
October 24, 2023
Björn Rudbergs writings 
The repetition of ‘boys’ is very effective in your poem, Björn, and starting with ‘mud and gangrene’ set the tone. It was also interesting that you touched on what happens to soldiers after war, the ones that return, who ‘turn to husbands, fathers, sons’.
I think that often that is a much larger consequence… that we chose to ignore.
We often focus on the effects of war on children and women, forgetting its damaging effects on boys sent to the front. You highlighted it very poignantly.
They are always there, the product of war, that we prefer to forget once war is over.
So we do.
Remembered only to be forgotten by those who sent them to kill and to die.
Indeed… isn’t that the case?
war damages us all. but more those who are sent.
I like the language you use “turn their backs on murder, rape…” the horrors of war affect everyone differently.
It must be terrible to return if such a thing is ever possible.
A heartwrenching poem
Much💛love
Too many have suffered this fate, Bjorn…(K)
Such a moving poem, Bjorn. I often think of how young the boys are thrust suddenly into a waking nightmare, how terrified they must be – how they must wonder what the purpose is of so much suffering.
And how the learn to do what they are told…but not how to bear the guilt.
Oh Bjorn this made me cry.
“we turned our backs from boys that years transformed
to shadows from our common past they can’t escape,
they bear alone our guilt, disowned, deformed.”
Seeing old men talk about war, if they do talk but all you see behind their eyes is a hollow trauma that has followed them ever since.
And I think what they would never talk about is their guilt which I believe is common.
Ony boys can be made pliable to fight without questioning and those who send them do not think of the consequences for those who return – very powerful Björn
I think we all can be bent to do the killing, we just have to pour enough hatred into our heart and we would gladly pull the trigger.
If a soldier survives war there is the terrible education of peace which comes after. Unfortunately there’s too much madness in what the soldier returns to.
That’s it, exactly. As long as we worship those ‘manly’ values above ‘feminine’ values, and pass that hierarchy of values onto our children, we will continue provoking wars, and sending young people to fight them.
Excellent, Bjorn. A sad truth.
The repetition of the word boys calls to my heart. Too many young men and boys have been sent into war to face horrific experiences. I have two uncles who each served more than one tour in Vietnam. I only know part of the damage this did to them and it lasting.
Oh Bjorn this is powerful. And how we treat those who return is almost more traguc
Intense Björn and it touches on the complex tragedies involved in war.
until the silent soldier boys are crying
for what he learned we can stop his dying. – hope a collective voice can indeed make a difference but these are difficult times.