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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 08:07:30
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BLOODSHED
OUR LOVE OF IT
MOST GREAT MEN DID IT
NAME A WARRIOR
WHITE OR BLACK
ARAB OR ASIAN
HE IS GUILTY OF IT
IS IT BAD?
IS IT GOOD?
NATIONS ARE GREAT THROUGH IT
BLOODSHED
WHO IS ALLOWED TO ENGAGE IN IT?
TODAY'S FRUITS OF PLEASURE WAS DIRECTLY FROM THE BLOOD OF OTHERS
GREAT NATIONS AND NOT SO GREAT NATIONS
WHO IS INNOCENT OF IT?
NOT RELIGIOUS FOLKS
AND NOT SECULAR FOLKS
WE ARE ALL GUILTY
DO YOU DENY THAT?
TELL ME WHY YOU THINK YOU ARE DIFFERENT?
DO YOU LOVE BLOOD BEING SHED?
I HEAR YOU SAY NO
BUT I THINK OTHERWISE
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?
THE WEST OR SOUTH?
EAST, MIDDLE OR NORTH?
BLOOD IS BEING SHED EVERY WHERE
HUMAN BLOOD
FOR MONEY OR OTHER THINGS
APPARENT OR HIDDEN
BLOOD IS CHEAP
HUMAN BLOOD
WHO IS GUILTY?
UNRULY YOUTHS, FANATICS OF ALL SHAPES AND FORMS
RELIGIOUS OR RACIALIST
POWER HUNGRY OR CONTROL FRIGS
BLOODSHED
HERE I STOP, AND OVER TO YOU
BLOODSHED, A DAILY OCCURRENCE
MEN ARE GREAT BECAUSE OF IT.
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Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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kayjatta
2978 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 19:36:45
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I have to first of all thank you for writing this thought-provoking poem. This is a beautiful poem, although its form seems to defy conventional classification. The lay out of the lines and the stanzas (9 lines in first stanza, 16 lines in the second, 8 lines in the third, and 3 in the fourth and last stanza)is quite appealing. Considering the length of the poem, i would probably formatt it as free verse or even consider a sonnet (Shakespearean sonnet probably).
I have seen some amount of despair in the tone of this poem in that the author, although frustrated about war and the amount of bloodshed in the world seems to acknowledge we are all complacent because of the benefits of war by making individuals and nations great. There seems to be a irony here. War is supposed to be bad, yet we love it (the poem opens with the line "Our love of it"), and the poet in this case did not help us resolve this irony. Instead he left us with the questions "Is it bad?", "Is it good?". This seems to be a deliberate challenge for the reader to decide on the question of war in our societies and in the world.
The style of the poem, especially by looking at the bold letters the author uses as well as the kind of questions posed, it appears safe to say that the poet is really screaming for answers as to why we love war, why we are ready to go to war at the click of a hand (hence "blood is cheap").
The subject of this poem is obvious in its title, it is war and bloodshed everywhere, in "the west or south...east, middle, or north...
As far as the author's philosophy is concerned, it is pretty hard to tell. However, this poem appears to be a socio-political rant characteristic of Santafara. I think the total effect of the poem is to leave the reader with questions to ponder about (as the opening of the last stanza stated "Here I stop, and over to you").
I particularly like some of the devices used here. The aliterations, such as the repeated use of 'it'(and e sounds) and 'folks', as well as the rhyming used in lines 7 to 10 of the second stanza are somewhat impressive.
I think the author has succeeded in creating the kind of imagery he has set out to impress upon the readers.
Apart from the stylistic aspect of the poem, I am tempted to examine some of the issues raised in the poem. The poem opens with the assertion that we love war because it makes people and nations great, and further went on to ask whether war is bad or good. If we go by Pope John Paul's statement that "every war is a defeat for humanity" then one might be inclined to conclude that all wars are bad. However, a more pragmatic view might indicate that the goodness or badness of any war rests in its rationale and outcome. If there is a good reason to go to war, and if the aftermath of the war result in a new and a better peace, then that war might be considered a good war. However, if the reason to go war is a bad one, and if the outcome of the war result in further instability, then that war might be considered a bad war. Based on this criteria, WW II that stops Hitler as well as the liberation and independent wars that ended colonialism in the 1960s particularly might all be considered good wars. Since both WWI and WWII resulted in the creation of the League of Nations and the United nations respectively, they resulted in the creation of a new world order that is more peaceful than before. I believe history will also judge whether the current war on terror is a good or a bad one. In deed Fareed Zakaria of NewsWeek has argued in his recently published book, 'The Post-American World', that even though we tend to perceived that there is more violence in the world today, the evidence indicates that actually we are experiencing the lowest level of violence in history. I think the author also suggested this in line two of the second stanza by stating that "Todays fruits of pleasure was directly from the blood of others".
War unfortunately, as bad as it may be, is part of human history; and may be also a part of human nature. From the first human beings, people and groups have killed one another over food, mates and land. There is sufficient anthropolgical and archaelogical evidence of pre-historic massacres.
I think there might be a spelling error in these two words of the last two lines of the third stanza: racialist (should be racist) and frigs (should be freaks).
Thank you so much for sharing your writings with me. |
Edited by - kayjatta on 07 Jun 2008 19:42:58 |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 21:49:32
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| Good review kayjatta, We do need some prodding by your input and of course that of Dalton. This way we perhaps can have our our kind or tribe of poets made in Gambia. well done Santanfara, keep pushing the pen em! keys on your PC. |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 22:19:16
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Bro Kanibaa,
I always like that bro kay does the bashing props first so I don't have to second-guess the theme of the poem. It reminded me of this poem I wrote two years ago:
http://www.poetry.com/voteforme/poemvote1.asp?PID=6199139
In any ways, it is as Kay mentioned, i.e the message is typical of the author's way of activism. It is always to be noted he means well in his efforts here. Not withstanding, this one is written in a scary tone.
First to note, the author used capital letters, so he must be shouting or crying loud for people to hear him. It also signaled his anger and frustration of an unresolved mystery that seemingly has shown an ugly trend through bloodshed. The author also left readers to choose the side resonating with them but corners readers to believe on his take. The author wants to use the happenings everywhere (bloodshed in Iraq, Afgan, Africa, et cetera...) to vindicate his assertion. Actually, it fell short in my own opinion.
"Bloodshed" sounds like a scary headline. It reminds me of that feared and misnomered islamic word -Jihad, which means struggle/effort. In today's world, the word is used to mean slaying people both from religious bigots and religion haters. The author might as well let his frustration subside down apparently and not to let any current affair or atmosphere drag him into believing that bloodshed made others succesful.
I happened to have my disagreements on the message he delivered. It statled me a little bit that uncle Suntou's tone should be this way, but the good thing he gave me a chance to think and disagree. I think that bloodshed is outdated. It doesn't resolve problems. War has failed the worlds and its inhabitants. War creeps like a California fernando. War brought poverty and hardship. War brought financial hardship. War brought lost of innocent lives through bloodshed. Bloodshed is a last option. It should be only in the case of self-defense. Otherwise, we cannot justify bloodshed. Those few who took to bloodshed to get weath or power/reign are not succesful in my opinion, because their temporal gains shall not avail them.
Otherwise, good stanzas. I believe that there is something burning somewhere. According to his observation, everyone has taken to blooshed to resolve issues, which is my disagreement. May be the author can walk us into his intended message. I believe he will.
In any ways, thanks Uncle suntou.
Urs Sincerely,
Dalton |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Edited by - Dalton1 on 08 Jun 2008 00:37:50 |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 22:46:43
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| Who then can stick to the saying about coins having two sides? Perhaps there are more than two, so we await Suntou's added input to clear the air, the poem certainly has delivered a message interpreted by two view points agreeing at some point on what is discerned .Wars and blood shed certainly caused so much mayhem , terrorizing innocent persons and more especially the weak. Naming fire;as the saying goes,does not burn the mouth of the one who so named it. I therefore believe he wanted to open a discussion on bloodshed ;as it happens. |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 00:42:18
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For all I can certainly say:
He means well in his threads whether we are short of getting the full message or he is short of conveying the intended message. Poetry and prose is subjected to different interpretations. |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 02:16:13
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My response inspired by Santafara. Peace Sister Omega
Bloodshed Whose Blood is being Shed?
Whose blood is being shed for what reasons can this be justified?
To protect yourself and your loved ones?
To protect your sovereignty?
To Protect your resources?
To fight against inequality?
For Human Rights and Justice?
To emancipate yourselves from slavery and exploitation?
Or is it because your fighting for liberation
To free the next generations from today's inequality?
Bloodshed
Whose blood is being shed?
Is it the weak?
is it the poor?
Is it the disillusioned who can't take the system any more?
Is it being shed for greed
Or power?
Is it from those with their backs against the wall?
Is it to sell arms?
Is it for bling bling ?
Or is it mindless people who will do anything?
Is it for peace?
Is it for respect?
Is just crime
Or is done by criminals who just can't serve their time?
Bloodshed
Is it just mindless violence
Or for a just cause
Can Bloodshed ever be justified at all?
Bloodshed when the killings done
When wars are over
Those who are left have to sit
around a table and talk to each other.
The question is why couldn't this have been done before
Without bloodshed!
By Sophia Sewell-Njie Copyright 2008 all rights reserved.
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Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 08 Jun 2008 02:32:23 |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 08:53:34
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You know I love bantaba folks. I duly respect the analysis of both my eminent brothers here, kay and dalton and that of kaanibaas encouraging comments.
Sister omega on the other hand resonate what theme the poem is about.
A quick look at the international power structure will simply show a track record of bloodshed. yet this blood is usually of those in the lower status of the social ladder.
kay touch on some relevant points. But chaos problem solving has been the order through which international and national conflicts have been solved. This only burry the trouble only to reignite after a short period. Yes, the west has succeed in creating a harmonious society where by every citizen is guaranteed freedom and peace, but is this the same to non-westerners?
again, if the strong nations venture into wars on false pretext and yield fruits of success in the form of access to oil, cheap raw material and by creating an atmosphere of hunger and need. Which will result in more jobs for their citizens and those residing in their lands, there we are all complacent. Do we try to find out where the capitals of our jobs are coming from? Who gave the companies we work for their starting capital?
In main stream sense, gun crimes are blamed on uncontrollable youths both in America, England and Africa, but do we try to look under the surface to see why this youths are acting senseless and ruthless?
Coming to religious fanatics who held their religions to ransom, what is their agenda? do we try to get to know what is pushing this folks down that road? we all know, in today's technological and scientific advancement, in the western and some Asian nations, killing is made even easy. In fact, one can be killing and be enjoying it. Before when men use to fight facing each other with swords and arrows, killing wasn't child's play.
We hear of the terms like surgical strikes. What those it mean?
Why did I blame us all for enjoying the fruits of war? Through war, opportunities are created and new avenues and elites are created. For the losing people, yes war is bad but the big question is, why allow going to war with a powerful and brutal, sophisticated opponent?
Why should saddam for instance allow a situation to be created that he goes to war with a powerful military machinery like America and Britain.
this is not allow even in Islam. if your opponent has more fire power, don't put your people at risk of even more death, misery, hunger, disease and a humiliating condition of refuge status.
Again, through democracy, we voted people into office; they are undertaking our mandate, whatever actions they do, we are indirectly responsible. we want jobs, we want easy housing, we want cheap health care and easy everything. where do you think the politicians are going to get that? (What two industries affect global economy more than any other thing?) i say oil and weapons.
I read the staunch support our brother Dalton have for senator Obama, the democrat nominee for president, but when obama made a disaster remark about the Israel conflict with Palestine, did Dalton said hang on a minute, this doesn’t seems like a peace brokering comment obama said “ i am Israel and Israel is me. Whoever attack Israel attack the United States and we will not allow that situation to go unpunished) who is the senator referring to? If Dalton votes for obama, which he may surely do, and obama helped Israel continue the status quo in Palestine, thus holding an entire nation as hostage and refuge, in return the youths in Palestine continue their rocket attacks and Israel continuous its missile firing at populated residence, is Dalton a free man here?
I am not a Marxist, but in max anti-religious and anti-moral stance, he encourages resistance against the bourgeois. Many resistant groups today are implementing that call, yet they refer to themselves with religious names. Religious people and secular folks are all tainted here.
In the conflict for supremacy in among African tribes, people knowing support and defend their tribal people even in cross human right violations and murder. In Burundi, Congo, ivory coast, Liberia, Senegal and now in the Gambia. So how innocent are we in actual fact? How innocent.
sister omega kind of add another dimension, thus there she continuous. thanks all.
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Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
Edited by - Santanfara on 08 Jun 2008 09:38:28 |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 10:04:26
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Uncle Suntou,
Thanks for your explanation. These are of course strong opinions and it makes a good debate. I bash with you further thus:
The Shed
The ugly sheds of Soweto
Where in Bootha reigns a time
Shedding the blood, shedding
While Mandela and Biko
Battled for freedom and justice
The ugly sheds of the Kambiyaa
Where in reigns a time’s pharaoh
Killing cuz of greed and power
Politicians
School children
And journalists
Shedding innocent, shedding alive
The ugly sheds in Iraq
Where in ‘cluster bombs’ echo aloud
With B52s flying aloft in innocent skies
And suicide bombers belted tight
With detonating bomb clocks alarming aloud
Shedding the nations, shedding alive
The ugly sheds everywhere a loom
Shedding human blood at loose, shedding
Emptying veins and vessels
Darkening history with seals
Of thick non-transparent blinds
With emptied blood veins of humans
flowing earthly streams at length
Reddened in fluid, flowing wild
While buckets of tears flow
Shamefully in rivers of agony
How dare a sweet taste from shed?
How dare a shed?
How dare an emptied vein?
Not mine!
Not my brothers!
Not my sisters!
Not my love ones!
Shed is no candy to walk with
At least not in the midst of the public
Peaceful doves all flew miles high for safety
With flipping wings with chorus songs saying
“Shed not mine! Shed not ours!”
So whose blood deserved to be shed?
Please spare mine!
Spare my love ones!
At least ours is not for shedding
Now we can come to terms
Author: Dalton |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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Edited by - Dalton1 on 08 Jun 2008 10:18:23 |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 13:47:19
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mowdo dalton, that was a masterful poem, that is what we expect to see from the masters.
great. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 23:33:25
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Poets speaking to the heart of the matter. Santafara and Dalton thanks for writing some thought provoking poverty.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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kaanibaa
United Kingdom
1169 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2008 : 02:16:38
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| Pounding me heart! you Dalton! kept this beating feeling sent me reeling delirious till I read your poem thrice and still I wait to settle down , Cool down! cousin , but ride on your poem is powerfully expressive.Congratulations ,wow! |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 09 Jun 2008 : 05:17:59
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Thanks all especially Omega. You were the first poet of greatest bashing powers that I met in this forum. Not withstanding the idealogical/political differences, you are a giant star for your promotion of literature/poetry. 'Spirit walk' always reminds of that genius of time -Hampateh Ba. That direction of yours is a great virtue.
Bro Kanibaa,
Uncle Suntou and his newhew are pulling some strong strings here. I can see the points he is trying to base his bashing on.
& thanks to both of you, and all our readers as well. I think that the poetry column is refreshing in this forum.
Dalton
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"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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dbaldeh
USA
934 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2008 : 21:00:48
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Great poems guys, except uncle Suntu's reveal a scary belief that has no place in our modern world. War is of the past it has done more bad than good.
As sister Omega said, it is always the weak and the vulnerable that suffers the seeds of war. Women, our mothers and sisters are the ones that suffers the most in times of war. They are the ones that loose a husband, a child and a love one that forever leaves a scar on their hearts and minds.
In honor of our mothers and sisters I say no NO TO WAR in whatever form say perform.
I want to caution one more thing, belief is a powerful thing. I remember when uncle suntou first joined the bantaba he openly advocates for taking up arms against Jammeh. While this may have been just an angry or frustrated reaction to a brutal dictator, I hope that Uncle Suntou does not belief in bloodshed.
This is by no means a finger pointing at my learned uncle Suntou, but please, lets be cautious of what we write. What we write today can come back to haunt us decades to come. I would like to get an intepretation of What "Power only respects power" means.
Just an observation and I stand to be corrected... |
Baldeh,
"Be the change you want to see in the world" Ghandi
Visit http://www.gainako.com for your daily news and politics |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
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Santanfara
3460 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2008 : 00:09:55
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very interesting toubab. i did learn about the lurenz curve in the economic development growth theory lessons. but the angle of choas problem solving is more in the military domain. order comes out of disorder. stability is a bye-product of instability. take a look at the history of europe. before they settle down to lovey dovey and peace treaties, they massagar each other more than any one. stalin and lenin combined killed more than 20million human beings. when did those murders took place? not so long ago when science was advance.
politicains and military tacticians still use the choas problem solvin methods. i did not in any way advocate for that policy. but if resolving a calamity means some minimal force,then so be it. i consider minimal force to be an operation against the tyranical leadership and their accomplicies. no other human being should suffer.
dbaldeh, the poem is not about the beauty or gains of bloodshed but the evils of it and why some still do it.
i try to expose the materail gains of bloodshed to the victors. but in reality no one wins. the ultimate justice spares no one, we all are going to die one day and we all are going give an account whether we like it or not , whether we believe in it or not. |
Surah- Ar-Rum 30-22
"And among His signs is the creation of heavens and the earth, and the difference of your languages and colours. verily, in that are indeed signs for men of sound knowledge." Qu'ran
www.suntoumana.blogspot.com |
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