Poetics: Bold Tributes
“The five kings count the dead but do not soften
The crusted wound nor pat the brow;”
⁃ Dylan Thomas
from, ‘The Hand That Signed the Paper Felled a City’
No Longer Kings
When I asked about ‘the five kings’ they said
‘count the dead’ and then come back
so, I go quietly out ‘but do not’ look for
dead to count, instead I find a way to ‘soften
the crusted wound’ upon this fragile land
a song to sing to bless the ones who sacrifice
a word to mend the tear dividing brothers
not just to sooth the flame ‘nor pat the brow’
but open eyes and hearts and minds
a prayer that kings will leave their thrones
and we no longer need to count our dead
rhymeswithbug 
I love how you turned this quote!
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Thanks!
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Love the ending… that’s where the truth is…
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Reminds me of Pete Seeger’s song …when will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.
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One of my favorites
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Nice job with this quote, Candy. I like how you look to tend the wound not only of the fallen, but of the ‘fragile land’. The ‘kings’ don’t seem to notice the brokenness of anything. Or seem to care.
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A beautiful write!
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Love the message:
a prayer that kings will leave their thrones
and we no longer need to count our dead
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I love the quote you chose to work with that is, in many ways, applicable to today as you expend it.
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Wow….this is a beautiful blending. I especially like ” a song to sing to bless…” and ” a word to mend the tear…”
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Power to the people! This poem got me riled up, haha!
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Hopefully those kings will have no need to count the dead.
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