Explaining war to a four year old

By Lylani

We watched the news
Saw mothers cry
For sons lost to war

You asked me why

As usual I got myself caught up
In an over complex explanation
For your eager childish ears

I told you
There were people who thought freedom was only for the elite
And those who suffered and longed to be free
I told you there were those
who believed in different gods

So they fought
Because they each thought they were right
When they fought some got hurt
Some died
So they went away somewhere they can't come back from

And the people that cry
are the ones they left behind
who love them
who miss them

"But mummy you said it's wrong to fight"

It is but there are sometimes
When people need to be heard
And no-one will listen
with open ears and an open mind
So they need to fight to be heard

"But then they get hurt and sad,
I think they should listen more
then they should cuddle
To make them all better"

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Published on Wednesday, January 7, 2009. Filed under: "Non-Fiction" and "Poetry"

Comments on "Explaining war to a four year old"

On Tuesday, January 27, 2009, Leith Plunkett (237) wrote:

Children have so much more strength and compassion than so called adults. Captured beautifully.
On Thursday, January 15, 2009, Sketso (416) wrote:

...and from the mouths of babes... wonderful sharing of a precious moment, and full of wisdom to boot!
A former member wrote: Amazing poem.
On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, Echoes of Orpheus (357) wrote:

I just got a radical idea... Let's replace every politician or seat of power in the world with 4 year olds :P Thanks for posting this, very true.
On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, Adam (242) wrote:

Such pure thoughts come from our youngest thinkers.
A former member wrote: We need a few more four year olds a few less forty year olds. Gets awful complicated when you start time-sing things by tens. I've found some of my deepest thoughts buried in the simplest statements of my kids.
On Thursday, January 15, 2009, Sketso (416) wrote:

are you suggesting that I should be shot next year, to even out the ratio? ;)
On Wednesday, January 7, 2009, veingo (526) wrote:

No fare, Sharon! You said what I wanted to say :P ^V^