Against Conscription by Wei Chuang

In what dynasty, under what emperor,
did we live without war?

And in every war
every man dreamed of peace.

And now the farmer
finds more bones than soil.

And here comes the draft board,
wanting more bodies.

translated by Sam Hamill

9 thoughts on “Against Conscription by Wei Chuang

  1. Yes, but if no one showed up, the greedy rich people could fight it out between themselves. The manipulation that turns normal people into killers is horrifying. And that we keep letting it happen is insane. Kids come home broken, some don’t come home at all, and it’s not for peace, it’s for wealth, or oil, or artifacts. I will never understand it. The entire planet should wake up and refuse to fight.

    I read a story that said during WW!! there was a cease fire during Christmas and BOTH SIDES started playing soccer and eating together and talking. When the cease fire was over, neither side wanted to fight with the other one. The Americans refused to shoot or kill the men they had known and THEIR LEADERS, the Americans said THEY WOULD OPEN FIRE ON OUR OWN SOLDIERS AND KILL THEM, IF THEY DIDN’T KILL THE MEN ON THE OTHER SIDE. How insane and horrible IS that?

    If I was younger and just staring out I wouldn’t have children. I wouldn’t feed them to this kind of government and world. I’d never do it. Never. We are in a never ending war, with others and with ourselves. When I had kids, we didn’t know what was going on. But we know now.

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