the pacifist

 he did not believe in it

was like saying

he did not believe in cancer

or gangrene

he did not believe in it

but never the less

something must be done

by someone skilled

to handle blood

to cut through

to cut out

what is real

and painfully so

there was a war in heaven

and are wars on earth

and a war in my very being

i can not afford to say

i do not believe

because

the devil

won’t go away

so fathers lose their sons

as they always have

on beaches

jungles

or at sea

as God once did

send His only son

to war

to die

away

and alone

so he says he does not believe in war

even though his freedom is earned

by another mans spilt blood

for as long as man’s will is free

and these wills

outside of God's

they will collide

and at that moment

maybe

he will begin to see

it is better to believe

and do what must be done

David B. Finlayson

7/31/98