Has anyone been over to the Poetsagainstthewar.org lately? It seems to me this was a good idea but it got out of hand. The readers have endeavored to pick out ones they really like. It would probably be a good idea to shit-can the rest and ask for some poems of critique and intrigue using the top 50. Too much of anything is just another exercise in mass psychology that is of little impact except for numbers. Does anyone seriously think anyone is going to read a 100 let alone 12000? Why don’t we just count lines if quantity is the goal. Who the hell is the audience?

I am anti-war but I am sorry this is just a ploy that may have been useful if it had been used according to an effective plan. As it is, self delusion is about what it has accomplished thus far.

The collection might still be useful as a basis for teach-ins or community exhibitions. Maybe we should make a Bush II War Memorial with all the poems on it. It could be made portable like the Vietnam War Memorial Traveling–now something exists that exploits the visual impact of quantity and exposes the futility of war with the content. It would be the first time we make a preemptive-strike-against-war-memorial instead of waiting until all we have left is mourning the dead for another stupid, ineffective violet action for peace.

Exception to a Ruler

Beware the sound of unity
against the war
you patriot poets.

Examine the strategic design
of empire desire
systematically discharged.

Penetrating verse tactically applied
like red herring
impotently scores ineffective.

Offering assistance to the boys
of the Bones
who plan simply for war,

power and annihilation of freedom
in a world
starved for petrol.

Know the sinister intent of the Order.
See your role
as Hegelian dissenters
legitimate as an exception to the rule.

Wise counsel rejected with contempt
makes wise men of fools
and despots heroes.

"<,@>"