It was not that long ago, gentle friends
That callow innocents risked life and limb
To prevent fascists from achieving ends
Truly dark, though our present seems quite dim
We betray their sacrifices bloody
When we tolerate current echoes vile
Of rhetoric suited to Goebbels’ study
These ideas, we should instantly revile
Dehumanizing others is quite wrong
The love of blood and soil corrupts them both;
When from new mouths, we hear a bad, old song
We must, to ending it, pledge our own troth
Old evils are stirring in this, our day
We must remember the end of this play
About the Creator
D. J. Reddall
I write because my time is limited and my imagination is not.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Keep reading
More stories from D. J. Reddall and writers in Poets and other communities.
Violence Begets
"Any last words, cowboy?" "None you'd understand, sodbuster." "Funny. That's Marshall Sodbuster to you. But I meant some last nugget that would help us in the adjudication of the myriad offenses counted against you and your gang. I wasn't asking for penitence."
By Adam Diehl4 days ago in Fiction
Comments (12)
What and incredible historic photo to use for an ekphrastic piece. A really great sonnet with a seriously needed message
Great poem and definitely needed right now. The past and its atrocities need to be remembered to avoid it from happening again.
"Old evils are stirring...." Yes, indeed, we need to learn from the past. 🕊️✨
This was extremely powerful! Loved it!
Yes!! It's time for a reality check.
Very true. None of it was very long ago at all!
Sobering. So sad and so true.
A timely and somber reminder of what is at stake.
Hell yeah! Say it again. Louder!
Well said. This play did not need a revival and could use an early end to its run
Nailed it. Great job
Powerful words and messages. Great job. ✨