Sorry for the lack of a crap joke installation on Wednesday but it’s just been a hectic week. That being said, today is Anzac Day here in Australia and across the Tasman in New Zealand (the commemoration of Anzac Day is also observed in other countries but has become an integral part of the national psyche here Down Under).
I have therefore chosen to post the following poem to elicit a little reflection
The Next War
by Osbert SitwellThe long war had ended.
Its miseries had grown faded.
Deaf men became difficult to talk to,
Heroes became bores.
Those alchemists
Who had converted blood into gold
Had grown elderly.
But they held a meeting,
Saying,
‘We think perhaps we ought
To put up tombs
Or erect altars
To those brave lads
Who were so willingly burnt,
Or blinded,
Or maimed,
Who lost all likeness to a living thing,
Or were blown to bleeding patches of flesh
For our sakes.
It would look well.
Or we might even educate the children.’
But the richest of these wizards
Coughed gently;
And he said:‘I have always been to the front
-In private enterprise-,
I yield in public spirit
To no man.
I think yours is a very good idea
-A capital idea-
And not too costly . . .
But it seems to me
That the cause for which we fought
Is again endangered.
What more fitting memorial for the fallen
Than that their children
Should fall for the same cause?’Rushing eagerly into the street,
The kindly old gentlemen cried
To the young:
‘Will you sacrifice
Through your lethargy
What your fathers died to gain ?
The world must be made safe for the young!’
And the children
Went. . . .
April 25th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
Oh, reflection? Bugger. Um…. it’s about exploitation and stuff, isn’t it? Not sure.
To me, ANZAC day just seems the wrong way round. It should be a day for military people and politicians to stay out of sight while pacifists enjoy the moral high ground. Come to think of it, every day should be like that.
April 25th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I don’t think it’s anyone’s place to take the high moral ground on Anzac Day. Exploitation? I would say that is going a little too far in the field of generalising. I am by no means a hawk but pacifism doesn’t hold all the answers either, that’s not to say I have “the” answer though. In the end there are no winners when there is death and destruction on such a scale, but above all Anzac Day is in my opinion a day to pay respect to all those who have fallen in battle and to, well, reflect.
April 26th, 2009 at 3:23 am
I agree 100%, from my small mountaintop.
April 30th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
On Macca All Over last Sunday, they had a reading from some guy. He was going through a letter his Grandfather had sent from Gallipoli. I can’t remember it word for word, but it went something like this:
After a particularly bloody battle against the Turks, we finally had them retreating. As they retreated, one of the Diggers stood up out of the trench and called out “Play ya’s again next Saturday.” It had everyone in stitches with laughter. Only the Aussies could do something like that, finding a joke in such a situation
The English commanders really despised the Aussies, because of the way they went about their business. One thing that really got up their gruff was the promotion of “commoners” (Shears, Swaggies, basically anyone) into the ranks. While the Poms believed Officers came from blood lines, the Australian and New Zealanders chose men who could lead, and had courage. It is one of the most defining things as nations that we are willing to give anyone a go.
May 5th, 2009 at 2:58 am
Rebecca, you are 100% right about that. I know the US troops and at least up to the mid-level officers loved working with the Australian and New Zealand military. Kind of kindred spirits, as it were. Nut cases, all, but Getting The Job Done.
May 6th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I disagree 100% with this post and all of the comments. You see, the thing is, it’s like beech balls. They have two sides: an inside and an outside. Furthermore, they don’t just belong on the sand, they have their place in water too, at rest and being tossed around. And beyond that, don’t forget that they don’t come as they’re meant to be: you have to blow them up.
So it’s not really as simple as you all make it out to be, is it? You have to take everything into account before drawing conclusion.
May 7th, 2009 at 1:58 am
Well, that’s true too, and usually ignored in most debates. Plus beach balls have that annoying “fun” aspect to them.
September 21st, 2009 at 7:37 pm
UPDATE YO BLOG!
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:23 am
Yeah… or at least post your new whereabouts, please.
October 20th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Lest we forget to make any blog posts, I can’t stop yawning.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:42 am
I think she dived into Facebook and has yet to surface. I’m going to have to do something precipitous about this, I can tell.