This Poem was Submitted By: Latorial D. Faison On Date: 2005-01-31 01:18:30 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!To Listen to Music While Reading this Poem, just Click Here!
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Where To Now America? Where to Now America?
Do we avenge perished souls
Exemplify a peaceful nation
Listen to God, pray for solace
Play politics or wage war
Do we tear up lands, tear down walls
And strive to build them back up again
Do we hide behind creeds and patriotism
Or press on with greed and cynicism
Where to now America?
Our actions and intentions are unclear
While half the world fears an end is near
Are we chess players with partisan orders
Claiming countries, moving men across borders?
To humanity, to money, to leadership or to love
To east, to west, to intelligence or to ignorance
To salvation, to destruction, to right or to wrong
To honor, to shame, to peace or to war
Where to now America? |
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Copyright © January 2005 Latorial D. Faison
Additional Notes:
A revision. Previous version written shortly after 9/11, but it still applies today, even much more today. Nothing has changed.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2005-02-04 19:22:38
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.69231
Latorial,
You are right! Nothing's changed. And I wonder if it will.
Or will it get to late.
Society is such and that basis will not. Work/spend/buy/play. I remember when 2 paychecks
wern't necessary, when women normally raised and mothered their own children. they were much
too busy to go 'out' to work.
today with such high prices for cars and property it's unbelievable.
In the political arena, they really all go to the same school. 'what's best for the majority'
Keeping their emotions out of it. There are cures for disease unavailable, war is population control.
As is aids/hepatitus/cancer. As long as it doesn't affect them.
To humanity, to money, to leadership or to love
To east, to west, to intelligence or to ignorance
To salvation, to destruction, to right or to wrong
To honor, to shame, to peace or to war
[this just about covers it all]
choose humanity or inhumanity
Choose selfishness or sharingg
Choose destruction or salvation
Choose honor or shamefullness
Will we have peace or war.
The hope for the world rest in our hands
What are you doing for fun this weekend?
you did a good job with issues that matter.
Ciao,
Dellena
This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne Duval Morgan On Date: 2005-02-01 09:08:59
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Hi Latorial
Concise choices and movitation is questionable, this poem can be applied more to nowadays then right after 9/11. What is the true movition, it's unclear to me. Power, Money, it doesn't see to good will really (unless one thinks of the generous giving to Tsuami victims), as far as Goverment interventions, fighting a war, for what, what have we achieved, just a lot of dead young people, human targets, and when I listen to Bush I get sick to my stomach, it's a terrible situition, your poem covers very well all the points, choices, human reaction, it's strong in it's projection and choice of linguistics and well written. Concscience poems that try to state situitions are a part of a written human history, and for all you wrote there are others that totally understand why the poem was written, and best how human choices should be applied, it's not a question of who's, who's wrong, it's always choicesm, and I believe the choices are wrong, for going to war only destroys, you would think that after all human history has proven that war, really doesn't anything, it only creates more choices, and rebuilding, but mostly a sadness for all the victims caught up in certain choices they never would have made. Diplomacy should be the leading factor, war the last factor.
Not concise I know but I'm so angry we (America), made the choices that were made.
Now we're looking for a way to get our troops home, why did we send them anyways, to get rid of one man and his two ebvil sons, makes a lot of sense doesn't it?
Sorry about my soapbox......Love Jo Morgan
This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-01-31 18:51:43
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Latorial:
I remember this, and thank you for posting it once more. You are correct,
nothing has changed. I've just finished comment on "These Americans" and
in this poem, which preceded that one, you show your deep commitment 'as'
an American seeking direction, asking others to consider what will come
next and what each one's own part in that may be. It is honest, direct,
inspiring, and fills me with deep sadness. You ask people to ask
themselves what direction they will take -- what direction *we* will take,
and we do take one, if only by remaining silent and accepting *what is*
rather than deciding to work towards *what needs to be* IMO.
The choices you show are many --
To humanity, to money, to leadership or to love
To east, to west, to intelligence or to ignorance
To salvation, to destruction, to right or to wrong
To honor, to shame, to peace or to war
And though it appears the course has been set, one can always be
"born again" as you showed in the poem I commented upon before this
one. This is poem to stimulate one's soul, one's purpose, one's
"honor, or shame." I cannot imagine that it could be said better
than you have said it here, Latorial.
Thank you for once again taking up the difficult topic which must be
appreciated and decided upon daily -- how to choose a direction as
a nation and as individuals.
Best always,
Joanne
This Poem was Critiqued By: arnie s WACHMAN On Date: 2005-01-31 13:33:07
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.68421
Such a question you should ask me! Man, if it was me that wrote that I would be considered anti-american!
There is a poll on one of the web sites I visit asking if the elections in Iraq will change anything. My answer is no. Not yet anyway. I think it will take the emigrees to change that ... they will have to go back to their country and "tell it like it is" At least here in America anyway (Canada is part of North America).
Pressing on with greed and cynicism will only change in the USA only, and I emphasize ONLY, when you have a caring President who values those lives of Americans more than his own. How does he do that? By cleaning up corruption;stopping gang wars;doing something about your stupid gun laws;stopping the death penalty (which hasn't proven a thing); by feeding the homeless;by ...well, I don't have to go on. It is easy to start a war. It's harder yet to do what I suggested. What does Bush want now? Why just another 8 billion to continue the war in Iraq. That wants to make me puke. Leadership is from the top. The latter was taught to me by my father who built a tremendously successful business. Why on earth Americans voted in G.W. Bush for a second term is beyond comprehension to us Canadians. WE can SEE the forest for the trees. Weapons of mass destruction my ass!
This Poem was Critiqued By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2005-01-31 12:27:14
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.90000
Hi Latorial,
This is such an important piece of writing and it applies to the now just as it did on 9/11. So now
what have we done? So many perished and we ask ourselves 'was it worth it?' I guess only the Lord would
know that...but I think He has cried with all of us, especially those who lost their loved ones. I know
He is sad when 'His children' war with each other. Some may say 'why doesn't He stop it'....perhaps
He is trying to teach us a lesson in how to be tolerant...if that is so I don't think we are listening.
...'our actions and intentions are unclear....are we chess players with partison orders'..What a
poingant statement..first we war to seek weapons of mass destruction...when that doesn't work we go after
their leader even tho he did not orchestrate 9/11 but what the heck he is evil anyway...and now we have
made a mess of their country and where do we begin to clean it up. Reminds me of a rule I had when raising
our children...if they were old enough to take the toys out of the box they were big enough to put them
back, however it wasn't fail safe because they were out more than in and I had to keep reiminding them
of the rule! Ideally we would just bring our troops home so they can be safe....will that happen or
are the toys out of the box forever? You have such a talent in writing about the issues of today..you
pose all the right questions and get me to thinking immediately...which at my age could be fatal!
Also hope to see you on the forum soon. People are posting pictures of themselves and it is so fun to
see who you have been talking to all this time....will you do the same?
Blessings...marilyn
This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2005-01-31 12:06:24
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.82759
Latorial--A very heavy inquiry! And, too pertinent to be disgarded or ignored.
The selective refrain/repeat of title serve dual elements:(1)to reempahsize the
sequential direness of each subsequent stanza and (2) a well deserved sense of
finality. This message inference and importance can not be overstated. We are
deeply involved in yet another "Historical doomed to repeat" scenario. IMO, it
is vital that the questions posed herein be addressed judiciously. Hopefully,
your heartfelt appeal of "Where To Now America?" will emote more than TPLers. TLW
This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2005-01-31 06:31:44
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.76923
This one speaks for many of us poet....Where to now America? Indeed, where to now..........good structure, word flow brings more then images my friend it brings much to think about, much to feel about, much to pray for and that is perhaps peace not war, let the hatefulness of our leaders leave and they with it......poor English I know but what the heck.......I pray for the return of our men and woman who are serving their country and the many lives lost to date, the families mourning at home for their loved ones.......it is a sad world we live in, we celebrate as a nation of freedom but to be honest where it is I have no clue.....
Again poet you have touched the heart of many with this one and I thank you for posting, I agree with you that nothing has changed since September 11th, 2001 but it could if we only listened to our inner self and not those in charge.......Praying and believing never hurt anyone yet when they say our leaders attended church services today I wonder where.......why........this is a game to them.....they are in charge and will win or no one plays......better go now, I'm getting out of order, take care, be safe, God Bless, Claire
This Poem was Critiqued By: Kelly Denise LaBeff On Date: 2005-01-31 04:34:21
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.96296
Poet Latorial, And still, we, at least "I" find myself asking many of these same questions! I'm glad the decision[s] weren't mine to make! I may have helped put the people in office that are responsible for such questions/answers, but at least I didn't have to personally decide. It's confusing, one day I lean one way and the next I lean another! So, many of the above questions are also cause and effect situations, too, like here: "tear up lands, tear down walls ---strive to build them back up again", which is what is happening in Iraq right now! I especially like the manner of which you wrote these lines as it serves as an issue of stop and reflect: "Are we chess players with partisan orders Claiming countries, moving men across borders?" In your last stanza your line "to right or to wrong"...makes me think almost or have we done what was done "to right a wrong?" It takes a lot of courage to post a verse about a subject as cruel and sensitive as terrorism and war...you never knew what response one might offer. I'm glad you found your voice amid the horror and you did so in an effort of an understanding, you educate me nature, which was a wise choice. Great read worthy of time spent reading and spent afterward reflecting! Thanks for doing so! Kelly
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