Poetry: A child of love or hate?

A child of love or hate?

The Child smiles up at us. It’s beauty and pure innocence has us in awe.
Will it have a useful long life, or will it die young in some terrible War?
Will the years of care and education, make it immune to such a terrible fate?
Or will its future end up under a White Cross, with Name, Location and Date!

Will it bring dishonour to its Parents and Country by being a Coward Son?
Or will it fight to the death, giving a life, so the Battle can be won?
Or will it live to tell its Grandchildren of the folly of Countries going to war?
Will it have future mental illness and terrible nightmares from what it saw!

Will it leave a young Wife and Family one day to fight as Duty Bound?
Will it leave that Wife a Widow for the sake of a few yards of ground?
Will it still have the courage when from the surf it has to run for the Beach?
With Mates getting torn to bloody shreds all within the Enemy's reach!

Will the terrible bloodiness of War make it vow never to let it happen again?
Or will it be like so many Men one day and forget all this destruction and pain?
Will it just forget those terrible scenes of fellow Soldiers screaming and burnt?
Or will it strive to bring peace to the World from such terrible lessons learnt!

Just what will this beautiful Child’s future bring as it makes its way through life?
Will it be that wanted Peacemaker that will bring the end to all Wars and Strife?
Or will this wonderful creation of God’s that we look at now in total awe.
Be one day the instigator of the hate and madness that makes Men go to War!

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