Introduce Introduce

War is an everyday reality for War is an everyday reality for millions of children. They are millions of children. They are killed, disabled or orphaned by killed, disabled or orphaned by civil war, guerrilla insurgency, or civil war, guerrilla insurgency, or ethnic cleansing. They become ethnic cleansing. They become refugees or displaced persons, refugees or displaced persons, often separated from their often separated from their families. Many die or suffer from families. Many die or suffer from starvation, malnutrition, or lack starvation, malnutrition, or lack of medical care. Many children of medical care. Many children are traumatised by witnessing are traumatised by witnessing brutal deaths and by being brutal deaths and by being surrounded by violence, fear and surrounded by violence, fear and hardshiphardship..

A Poems presented by : Rodolfo Sousa VicenteA Poems presented by : Rodolfo Sousa Vicente

Children of WarChildren of War

War is all some children have seenWar is all some children have seenPain a fact of lifePain a fact of lifeMisery a constantMisery a constant

Watching love ones come and goWatching love ones come and goDie before the beast they too well Die before the beast they too well

knowknowThey think this barbarity normalThey think this barbarity normalGuns ... dust ... noise as usualGuns ... dust ... noise as usual

Scenes heartbreakingScenes heartbreakingPlaying in a bombed out buildingPlaying in a bombed out building

Quivering atop the remains of Quivering atop the remains of civilizationcivilization

These precious little onesThese precious little onesPlay somber games of warPlay somber games of war

In the streetsIn the streetsAmong rubble once their homeAmong rubble once their home

In paddies amid dangerIn paddies amid dangerOn sand dunesOn sand dunes

Rife with uncertaintyRife with uncertaintyFilled with deepening despair.Filled with deepening despair.Will they adjust to stay aliveWill they adjust to stay alive

Their holocaust survive?Their holocaust survive?

Children of War

by Gary Jacobson & Patrice Bennett

Children of War

Children sway in war's voracious Children sway in war's voracious wind like reedswind like reeds

Their very childhood bleedsTheir very childhood bleedsSinging songs of annihilationSinging songs of annihilation

malignant desolationmalignant desolationBlowing in wavering wind like a Blowing in wavering wind like a

rhymerhymeBorn in the wrong place, at the Born in the wrong place, at the

wrong timewrong timeDoomed wherever winds may blow Doomed wherever winds may blow

to followto followTheir pestilent lives hollowTheir pestilent lives hollow

InconsequentialInconsequentialIllogical!Illogical!

O, the future's in our childrenO, the future's in our childrenThese precious little onesThese precious little ones

Who know too wellWho know too wellThe hard edge of deathThe hard edge of death

Searing pain.Searing pain.What will they grow up to beWhat will they grow up to be

When all around them is hatredWhen all around them is hatredUnpropitious violence?Unpropitious violence?

These impostersThese impostersShould not with children dwell.Should not with children dwell.

Children of WarChildren of War

So bigSo bigSo innocentSo innocent

So full of hurtSo full of hurtWhere there should be delightWhere there should be delight

Stagnant emptinessStagnant emptinessTheir vacant facesTheir vacant faces

Gazing with blank staresGazing with blank staresUnfathomable terrors Unfathomable terrors

surrounding themsurrounding themHorrors abounding in their Horrors abounding in their

grown-up worldgrown-up world

Look deep into children's soulsLook deep into children's soulsAs they look back in wide-eyed As they look back in wide-eyed

devastationdevastationTheir world falling down Their world falling down

around themaround themDevastation all they know.Devastation all they know.

What does their future hold?What does their future hold?What lessons will they learn?What lessons will they learn?

How can they know loveHow can they know loveWith hatred surging around With hatred surging around

them so strong?them so strong?Will they die youngWill they die young

never tasting the fruits of life?never tasting the fruits of life?

Children of War

O what terror rests upon their O what terror rests upon their tiny soulstiny souls

Eats at their heartsEats at their heartsAches in their belliesAches in their belliesTests their very beingTests their very being

When they see loved ones When they see loved ones killedkilled

Mother, father, brother ... goneMother, father, brother ... goneWatching friends die in pools Watching friends die in pools

of bloodof bloodTheir caretakers silencedTheir caretakers silenced

They see life as just survivingThey see life as just survivingWithout the essence of being.Without the essence of being.

What is their purpose?What is their purpose?To witness the slaughterTo witness the slaughter

From atop the rubbleFrom atop the rubbleOf a bombed out buildingOf a bombed out building

Tiny nostrils cloggedTiny nostrils cloggedWith pungent gun powderWith pungent gun powderThe dust of destruction?The dust of destruction?

Will they grow up but to repeatWill they grow up but to repeatScenes they've seenScenes they've seen

Horrors they've witnessed?Horrors they've witnessed?

Children of War

Will their futuresWill their futuresPeering through barbed wirePeering through barbed wire

Fence them outFence them outScreen them from the world Screen them from the world

by hungerby hungerDesperationDesperationGrowing fearGrowing fear

Filled with hatredFilled with hatredDestined revenge to wreakDestined revenge to wreak

Scores to pay backScores to pay backVengeance to atone.Vengeance to atone.

Or will the children, sick of Or will the children, sick of hatred...hatred...

Seek peace!Seek peace!Peace?Peace?

Will they ever see it's face?Will they ever see it's face?Will they ever knowWill they ever knowIt's sweet embrace?It's sweet embrace?Will they ever feelWill they ever feel

The comforting of peaceful The comforting of peaceful balmbalm

Hear its soothing calmHear its soothing calmTo relax in the arms of peace.To relax in the arms of peace.

Children of War

Will children even be aliveWill children even be aliveTo watch war rumbling byTo watch war rumbling by

To see itTo see itTo grow up with itTo grow up with itTo live ... to loveTo live ... to love

Make their place in it?Make their place in it?Will children make a differenceWill children make a differenceBecome killers, or wise sagesBecome killers, or wise sagesBe leaders of men for goodBe leaders of men for good

Or evil?Or evil?

Will a childs sweet life be Will a childs sweet life be nipped in the budnipped in the bud

Before life has really begunBefore life has really begunWithout ever having dreamsWithout ever having dreams

Much less, having dreams Much less, having dreams fulfilledfulfilled

Never to know tomorrow's Never to know tomorrow's treasures?treasures?

Will they be able to seeWill they be able to seeThrough fogbound nightmaresThrough fogbound nightmaresBeyond the haunting mist of Beyond the haunting mist of

terrors?terrors?Do children feel the swirling Do children feel the swirling

hatredhatredOr numbly take it in?Or numbly take it in?

Children of War

How can children live in a placeHow can children live in a placeMolten in humanity's disgrace?Molten in humanity's disgrace?Here, where fear replaces loveHere, where fear replaces loveThe only thing showering down The only thing showering down

from abovefrom aboveChildren feel not blessingsChildren feel not blessings

But tears in their eyes swellingBut tears in their eyes swellingBorn in a world of hatingBorn in a world of hating

Pain replacing tendernessPain replacing tendernessMemories made by shock and Memories made by shock and

aweaweKilling is the law.Killing is the law.

Will they just be one more of Will they just be one more of the tragic lostthe tragic lost

Gobbled upGobbled upSwallowed by the voracious Swallowed by the voracious

mawmawOf the ogreOf the ogre

War's bestial carnivore...War's bestial carnivore...Their only childhood friend?Their only childhood friend?Who surrounds their daysWho surrounds their days

What toys ... what joys ... what What toys ... what joys ... what fears?fears?

What apprehensions fill young What apprehensions fill young liveslives

Where childhood monsters are Where childhood monsters are real?real?

Children of War

What if children judged usWhat if children judged usWith much to say about injusticeWith much to say about injustice

About being forced to grow up too About being forced to grow up too quickquick

About daddy's to war gone awayAbout daddy's to war gone awayHorrors seen every dayHorrors seen every day

Their introduction to deathTheir introduction to deathBefore they even started to live?Before they even started to live?Which does a child understand Which does a child understand

moremoreThe man preaching of moral The man preaching of moral

imperative,imperative,Or the gun in his hand?Or the gun in his hand?

Do children fear the gun ... or Do children fear the gun ... or embrace itembrace it

Do children just not comprehend Do children just not comprehend it?it?

O, I would take up the little O, I would take up the little childrenchildrenIf I couldIf I could

Grasp tiny hands in mineGrasp tiny hands in mineClutch them to my breastClutch them to my breast

Protect themProtect themShield them from this world of Shield them from this world of

harmsharmsStem hurtful tearsStem hurtful tears

Kiss tear-streaked cheeks.Kiss tear-streaked cheeks.

Children of War

Barely just a child of six out living on the streets half starved, nearly

nakedno shoes upon her feetHiding in the shadowsalways cold and tired

waiting there until she hearsno more shots are firedJust another orphan…….

I would hug those who cruel war I would hug those who cruel war shackleshackle

Those whose terrible suffering too Those whose terrible suffering too oftenoften

War's cruel quest ignores.War's cruel quest ignores.I would love them ... comfort themI would love them ... comfort them

Show them a better place...Show them a better place...O, that I could carry them to O, that I could carry them to

safetysafetyIlluminate that great and sacred Illuminate that great and sacred

placeplaceWhere children live happyWhere children live happy

Fulfilled livesFulfilled livesIn a golden palace...In a golden palace...

But where, God? Where?But where, God? Where?Open up your arms, GodOpen up your arms, God

Here they come...Here they come...Children caught in tempest and Children caught in tempest and

whirlwindwhirlwindAnguished in a swirl of hateAnguished in a swirl of hate

Running from real life bogeymenRunning from real life bogeymenNo hope for them in this warNo hope for them in this war

With no place for themWith no place for themHate wreaking violence all around Hate wreaking violence all around

themthemKilling all they love ... forever!Killing all they love ... forever!

Children of War

I wonder if baby I wonder if baby Jesus were born in Jesus were born in

time of wartime of warWould he Would he

understand?understand?Would the plight of Would the plight of

the childrenthe childrenBring tears to His Bring tears to His

eyes?eyes?Would he live long Would he live long

enoughenoughTo plant the hope of To plant the hope of

the world?the world?Could he save manCould he save man

From those From those embitteredembittered

Will He show the Will He show the better waybetter way

Share His love for us Share His love for us all ... teach us to all ... teach us to

forgive?forgive?

Children of War

We send our love very far,We send our love very far,and it's all for a thing called and it's all for a thing called

war.war.We say we can defend,We say we can defend,

what will someday be the end.what will someday be the end.We say we fight, for what is We say we fight, for what is

right.right.

We say our people are We say our people are protected,protected,

but it's more like neglected.but it's more like neglected.Our children cry, when parents Our children cry, when parents

die.die.

We teach children so much We teach children so much hate,hate,

then what is to be there fate.then what is to be there fate.Does our government really Does our government really

care,care,about what is fair,about what is fair,

do they lay there at night,do they lay there at night,and wonder if there family is and wonder if there family is

alright?alright? ??

Children of War

Do they cry, when love ones die?Do they cry, when love ones die?We are a mess,We are a mess,

because we can't settle for less.because we can't settle for less.We are put here to learn to be We are put here to learn to be

out best,out best,but life is only a big test.but life is only a big test.

The next time we go to war or a The next time we go to war or a fight,fight,

look at who really is seeing our look at who really is seeing our might,might,

We should take into We should take into consideration,consideration,

of what will be the next of what will be the next generation.generation.

What is to be there fate,What is to be there fate,if all we teach them is hate,if all we teach them is hate,from what we only create.from what we only create.

We need to stop and wonder,We need to stop and wonder,what our children ponder,what our children ponder,

when they look back at history,when they look back at history,we can only hope they don't seewe can only hope they don't see

war as a victory!war as a victory!

Children of War

The Innocents victim of the war

““Please do our best to tell the world Please do our best to tell the world what is happening to us, to the what is happening to us, to the

children.”children.”

Rodolfo C.de Sousa Vicente