the Cousins' War
War of the Roses
All is still since the troops marched through this place
Cousin against cousin, who knew what side to take?
Peace or family name, what’s anyone fighting for?
Blood soaked fields mark the trail through the field
Where they scattered to the four winds
And someone that day was declared the victor.
Can you hear the whisper?
Men lay dying here for days that spring
Who would have thought that kind of violence
Would ever consume their hearts
Rending horses, men and all in their way
Like animals drawn and quartered
Sliced from ear to ear
Never have the trees, witnessed such human rage
Can you hear the crying?
In the wake of all the fighting, at the bitter end
The rain fell for weeks
Like crying from the heavens
Flooding streams and rivers
Soaking the fields, roots and hay
Washing every bit of blood away
The human bane to the new life of spring
Is it the beginning, or the precursor to the end?
Can you hear the echoes of the voices?
A few months pass and summer comes
Fragrant flowers fill the space and air
Vibrant green covers houses as life moves outside
Fearless once more
A memory starting to fade
Wounds almost healed
Nurtured by the sun and fed by the first harvest
Of summer crops
Can you hear the laughter?
Thunder shakes the ground
Forest animals stop in their tracks to listen, and then run
People bolt inside and lock their doors
A thousand troops on horses cross the soft field
Heading west from London
Can you hear the tower bells?
It began a long time ago
A fight through all the ages
Senseless wars for power
Under the banner of “truth”
Can you sense the madness?
The Cousins' War
Comments
AUTHORRuby, I'm reading all these Phillipa Gregory books - I have been for some time now - she's such an excellent author. She brings this time period and characters to such life - I am just reflecting. Thanks for reading and commenting my lovely friend!
Poetvix, I know exactly what you mean, I understand the struggle for power yet I still don't get why people have to die for the cause. I know that is oversimplifying to extremes, yet I can't help but see it that way sometimes. The gore has been covered enough, what is in men's hearts when they go to war? Either the promise of freedom, payment, a true cause, patriotism, or vanity...only the soldier knows for sure. This war showed it especially - when it was clear who the victor was, many would switch sides, run or have already been long gone. Thanks so much for your comments.
I like how you addressed many aspects of war, not just the gore parts. What can be more horrid? Man is the only species who makes war upon himself, yet we call ourselves civilized. Awesome write!
Your poetry brings the horror of war vividly clear. Before i read it, i thought you were talking about the movie. lol Thank you.
- AUTHOR
you have nothing to be sorry for, wars like these happen all the time - the U.S. had its own civil war in the 1800's where families were divided and wars like that spring up everywhere. I think you brought in an excellent example of another one. I was just studying this one at this time...Keep thinking and keep commenting my friend! You're never wrong :) We all apply things we read to our own situations! Peace and blessings.
Oh I am sorry I had no idea about the war in England. I just thought Mahatma Gandhi's BROTHER AND SISTER concept across the globe. And to some extent we all are cousins from yesteryears. Like Pakistan used to be a part of India and only separated in 1947 a day after independence from British Rule.
Both fought for freedom together but after partition both (cousin's war)are enemies of each other, and soldiers are dying for KASHMIR-a conflicted region.
- AUTHOR
The Cousins War was essentially a war in England from 1455-1485 where rival families, who were essentially related as close as cousins, fought for control of the crown. Those thirty years the citizens were caught in the middle of a family war and there was much bloodshed, its often called the war of the roses because their crests were the White Rose of York and the Red Rose of Lancaster.
Oh and we're all getting subdomains, you are too...if you don't get it now, they'll move you to it!
Peace my friend!
Hi Dear,
First of congratulations! You got a sub-domain on hubpages and I guess this is a great achievement, isn’t it?
Second I loved the title “the cousins’ war” very much. I wonder what people/countries are fighting for. Citizens are preached to support on the name of fake pride. India & Pakistan are enemies since independence. I guess citizens want only peace!
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