After All

After all the wars are over
And all the battles won
After all the blood’s been spilt
From here to Kingdom come

Do you think it really mattered
In the larger scheme of things
That this nation took the prize
And that one got no rings?

So what if one lasts longer
Outlasting all its foes
When another bit the dust
And sooner tasted woes.

All empires rise and fall
Not a one endures forever
Every nation has a life span
Despite its best endeavors.

After all the coffins come home
And all the widows cry
And all the pyrrhic victories
Did you ever wonder why?

Perhaps it would be better
If we didn’t play war games
Perhaps we would be wiser
If we loved enemies just the same.

Perhaps there’d be less waste
Less sorrow and less loss
Perhaps there’d be less anger
Less suffering, less cost.

Less men behaving badly,
For we’re to blame you know
It’s men who started most our wars
As history always shows.

Perhaps we might more nearly
Follow Jesus’ call
To forgive our crucifiers
As he did…. after all.

BW3