I usually post my poetry on my poetry blog A Grateful Man’s Poetry at A Grateful Man’s Poetry rather than this one but in this case my heart whispered to include it on this site as well, and I’ve learned to listen to those whispers. I believe and humbly hope that some of you will be glad I did.
With Love,
Russ
The Devil’s Dance
Two once-proud armies
Were sent to war
Just to settle a score
By two old fools
Who wore crowns.
In the middle of the fight
The bravest young knight
Raged, “Life has no chance
In this Devil’s Dance,
Only Death wins an unjust war!”
He flung his weapons down,
On the killing ground,
Uncurled his fist and took a great risk
By extending his bloody hand.
The other man knew
He could cut him in two,
But sheathed the sword he bore.
That’s the fateful day when
Five thousand young men
Chose peace
And walked away.
–Russ Towne
(C) Copyright 2016 Russ Towne
All Rights Reserved
Russ Towne's A Grateful Man 
That’s a leader.
I agree; a courageous one at that. Had only he or even 500 or so of the soldiers laid down their arms they would have been slaughtered by the rest, or the kings would have ordered their executions as traitors, but when all or even nearly all make a choice for peace even kings will lose their crowns (and probably their heads) unless they’re the ones who back down. War is not nearly so fun for kings when their own lives are put at risk. ;-D!
Russ
Which is what some people think should happen. If you order your men to war, you go with them.
glad you’ve learned to listen to your whispers. love this.
Thank you, Beth. I’m delighted you like it!
Russ
great visualization!
Thank you, Joan. Sometimes I can create a poem in ten or fifteen minutes. This one was a
labor of love that perhaps took ten or fifteen hours over two days.
Russ
O.u.t.s.t.a.n.d.i.n.g. 😀
T.h.a.n.k. Y.o.u. Your comment brightened my morning!
Russ