It Is Later Than You Think, by Robert Service

[vx69]

Lone amid the cafe's cheer

Comments

[_glassphyxia_]

Raw Recruit

They said to me: "Thou shalt not kill,"

And well I understood.

"Thy brother's blood thou shalt not spill,"

They spake, and it was good.

And then I could not understand,

Yet had to do their will;

Cold steel they put into my hand,

Saying: "Go forth and kill.

"Go forth with rage of race and slay;

Pile up the corpses for

What's murder called in Peace - alway

Is hollowed in war.

The Church has blest your bloody blade,

The which in peace is cursed;

So go forth, son, all unafraid,

And do your bloody worst."

What's wrong in Peace in War is right,

So I will do their will,

And bear me bravely in the fight,

And kill and kill and kill.....

Yet as I brave the battle test

With dripping sword in hand,

Proving me equal with the best....

Christ, help me understand!

[lilgreendave]

"Tiger gotta hunt. Bird gotta fly.
Man gotta sit and wonder why, why, why.
Tiger gotta sleep. Bird gotta land.
Man gotta tell himself he understand."
-- Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

[vx69]

nice. The only things I read by Vonnegut are The Breakfast of Champions and Slaughterhouse 5, a long time ago...

[lilgreendave]

Ah the quote's from Cat's Cradle. He's fast become one of my favourite authors in the last year, since I read Slaughterhouse 5 ^_^

[vx69]

think I remember I tried to read Cat's Cradle when I was young, but never reached the end... I was probably too young.