David X Novak
  • Home
  • About
  • Poetry
  • Plays
  • Prose
  • Books
  • News
  • Contact

Interring Johnny Reb

8/15/2017

 

The songs saluted “Johnny Reb,”
    I sorta understand it,
Flies in the military’s web
    Who even themselves fanned it,

Had sent those young lads out to die
    Upholding “property”;
Deriving comfort from a lie
    Excusing slavery.

Those Johnny Rebels died for nought,
    Their suffering, waste and ruin
On battlefields—what war had wrought— 
    Conspicuously strewn.

Patsies they were—was “Billy Yank”
    Of any sterner stuff?
Does either one his peer outrank?
    Should we not both rebuff?

Alas, they were too young to know— 
    Let God excuse them all
— 
But those who Justice did for go
    Yet we must “traitors” call.

However innocent, the strove
    For the right to enjoy
Bread of another’s labor—love
    Itself thus to destroy.

Famed “southern hospitality”
    Was gotten by the lash
Upon men’s backs, as slavery
    Provided surplus cash.

This all involves in “Johnny Reb,”
    A patsy best forgotten;
Militarism by its web
    Leaves all it touches rotten.

Comments are closed.
    Picture

    News?

    A new poem is always news to the poet.
    ​Or whatever.

    Archives

    April 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed