It's a sad but accurate truth: this administration knows NOTHING about honor. It knows NOTHING about sacrifice or duty or genuine patriotism (as opposed to jingoism). Even what it THINKS it knows has little to no basis in reality. Worst of all, the person at the head of this madness hasn't the emotional means to be able to meet with those relations of the fallen and express genuine empathy or compassion for their losses.
He leads a stupid war for no appreciable goals and for no other reason than he wanted to. As many others have said here: words fail. The stupidity of it all frustrates my vocabulary.
Thank you Terry. Beautiful words. The current regime is not capable of understanding such thoughts. War is never holy. This war is the most unholy of my lifetime. I so look forward to your Sunday poems.
I all but came crawling to your post in my inbox, knowing that against the grain of horrors of this mounting war, you would see through the clouds of dust, and hold a higher torch. Indeed, you write of that which matters—and of which this White House is blind and too cruel to see…
Brilliantlyw written. With a poet’s honesty, you capture the madness of this presidency with clear-eyed precision. Your insight into war—Trump’s war in particular—cuts directly to an uncomfortable truth: the United States, steward of one of the most capable and powerful militaries in history, is being led by a man whose career has been defined by deception and self-interest. That reality should give every thoughtful citizen pause. These are profoundly unsettling and dangerous times. Thank you for your candor—and for reminding me of that haunting passage from The Iliad, which perhaps feels more relevant now than it did thousands of years ago.
Thanks, John. I remember on 9/11 and in the days after, going to the White House as ABC’s correspondent, and feeling the weight of war on everyone who worked there, and especially on the president, of course. And I prayed that they would have the character and intelligence to keep our country safe. I may have been only half-right…
Thank you Terry. I'm filled with grief, sorrow and anger. Grief snd sorrow for the people of Iran and the terrible destruction this country has inflicted on them. Grief and sorrow for my country that is also being destroyed by this terrible man who doesn't understand the first thing about honor, dignity, or justice. And anger - deep anger that our government and those in leadership would act so arrogantly, so disrespectfully to others. The United States is suppose to be the greatest superpower in the world. No longer. I grew up in the era of JFK and I was proud to be an Amerixan. Now all I feel is deep shame and sadness.
You know, one of the most painful failures over the past year and more now is how many men and women who know better, who see and understand how amoral and dangerous Trump is, have said nothing, gone along, hoped for the best. Will they ever reflect on how they enabled all this?
So much sorrow. No one should ever have to feel this grief. And the man children playing war games have no clue what they’re doing. Nor do they care. Someone needs to take away their power, their “toys”, and banish them to a corner. But who?
It’s been decades since I had to read Homer. College Lit. I think. But it always resonates, especially in times like these. Thanks Terry.
There are very good reasons that Homer and other storytellers from those times are considered classics and carefully guarded for posterity. They belong to no one race or tribe, but to Humanity.
Thank you for Sunday Poem Mr Moran...I look forward to them every week. You not only bring some calm to the World's sadness but I am making time for poetry myself. I remembered I have a very old book of poetry in my life treasures. I dug it out...it was published in 1929. It is filled with hundreds of poems....I will never finish them all. But, I am going to make me read one everytime the political ugliness pisses me off. So, it will be quite a few...Have a beautifule week.
Today’s post by Terry makes me wonder if others are as amazed as I at the breath and depth of his sense of history, poetry, and experience from which he draws his thoughts.
You are keeping something alive for us and our nation. As you connect our lives to those who have long gone before us, you give us hope and clarity. Thank you.
My first time reading and this makes a profound statement. The news reported the new leader lost his father, mother, wife and daughter as well as was injured in the Tehran bombing . Deaths in his family and many Iranians. What desolation and loss. So much destruction and loss without any accountability or respect from Washington leaders. . War is hell. Our service men and women are in danger and killed and wounded. How will there be an Iranian uprising for freedom? And Peace? Forget the oil. Environmental disasters will continue long after the oil runs again. Hatred and violence is not stoped by ongoing wars. Weep for the future and each of us now.
It's a sad but accurate truth: this administration knows NOTHING about honor. It knows NOTHING about sacrifice or duty or genuine patriotism (as opposed to jingoism). Even what it THINKS it knows has little to no basis in reality. Worst of all, the person at the head of this madness hasn't the emotional means to be able to meet with those relations of the fallen and express genuine empathy or compassion for their losses.
He leads a stupid war for no appreciable goals and for no other reason than he wanted to. As many others have said here: words fail. The stupidity of it all frustrates my vocabulary.
Thank you Terry. Beautiful words. The current regime is not capable of understanding such thoughts. War is never holy. This war is the most unholy of my lifetime. I so look forward to your Sunday poems.
Thank you, Gerrianne. We so lack decent leadership right now, in war and peace.
I all but came crawling to your post in my inbox, knowing that against the grain of horrors of this mounting war, you would see through the clouds of dust, and hold a higher torch. Indeed, you write of that which matters—and of which this White House is blind and too cruel to see…
Thanks, Barbara. I appreciate that.
Brilliantlyw written. With a poet’s honesty, you capture the madness of this presidency with clear-eyed precision. Your insight into war—Trump’s war in particular—cuts directly to an uncomfortable truth: the United States, steward of one of the most capable and powerful militaries in history, is being led by a man whose career has been defined by deception and self-interest. That reality should give every thoughtful citizen pause. These are profoundly unsettling and dangerous times. Thank you for your candor—and for reminding me of that haunting passage from The Iliad, which perhaps feels more relevant now than it did thousands of years ago.
Thanks, John. I remember on 9/11 and in the days after, going to the White House as ABC’s correspondent, and feeling the weight of war on everyone who worked there, and especially on the president, of course. And I prayed that they would have the character and intelligence to keep our country safe. I may have been only half-right…
Thank you Terry. I'm filled with grief, sorrow and anger. Grief snd sorrow for the people of Iran and the terrible destruction this country has inflicted on them. Grief and sorrow for my country that is also being destroyed by this terrible man who doesn't understand the first thing about honor, dignity, or justice. And anger - deep anger that our government and those in leadership would act so arrogantly, so disrespectfully to others. The United States is suppose to be the greatest superpower in the world. No longer. I grew up in the era of JFK and I was proud to be an Amerixan. Now all I feel is deep shame and sadness.
You know, one of the most painful failures over the past year and more now is how many men and women who know better, who see and understand how amoral and dangerous Trump is, have said nothing, gone along, hoped for the best. Will they ever reflect on how they enabled all this?
I've lost all hope that the Republicans will ever take accountability. They've completely abdicated their constitutional responsibilities
No words
Such sorrow and so much love. Thank you Mr Moran, for this gift.
Centuries of war has really taught us nothing, as we continue to do the same thing over and over.
Only the dead have seen the end of war. Plato said that, I think. I’m 66, and it’s so true.
So much sorrow. No one should ever have to feel this grief. And the man children playing war games have no clue what they’re doing. Nor do they care. Someone needs to take away their power, their “toys”, and banish them to a corner. But who?
It’s been decades since I had to read Homer. College Lit. I think. But it always resonates, especially in times like these. Thanks Terry.
It does, especially in that translation. Caroline Alexander.
There are very good reasons that Homer and other storytellers from those times are considered classics and carefully guarded for posterity. They belong to no one race or tribe, but to Humanity.
To read Homer’s timeless words this morning, down the millennia, is a gift. Thank you, Terry. We mourn for so much these days.
We do.
Thank you for Sunday Poem Mr Moran...I look forward to them every week. You not only bring some calm to the World's sadness but I am making time for poetry myself. I remembered I have a very old book of poetry in my life treasures. I dug it out...it was published in 1929. It is filled with hundreds of poems....I will never finish them all. But, I am going to make me read one everytime the political ugliness pisses me off. So, it will be quite a few...Have a beautifule week.
Wow. That book sounds like a treasure.
Today’s post by Terry makes me wonder if others are as amazed as I at the breath and depth of his sense of history, poetry, and experience from which he draws his thoughts.
You are keeping something alive for us and our nation. As you connect our lives to those who have long gone before us, you give us hope and clarity. Thank you.
I have never read this. It brought me to tears.
Thank you. This made me cry.
And those in power in this war, those in power would be unable to read it, incapable of understanding it. Inhuman.
My first time reading and this makes a profound statement. The news reported the new leader lost his father, mother, wife and daughter as well as was injured in the Tehran bombing . Deaths in his family and many Iranians. What desolation and loss. So much destruction and loss without any accountability or respect from Washington leaders. . War is hell. Our service men and women are in danger and killed and wounded. How will there be an Iranian uprising for freedom? And Peace? Forget the oil. Environmental disasters will continue long after the oil runs again. Hatred and violence is not stoped by ongoing wars. Weep for the future and each of us now.