Stephen Gospage

Slackers, or The View from Washington

by Stephen Gospage

Thursday 28th September 2023 7:55 am

Get out there and win the war, you slackers!

You’ve had tons of weapons from your backers.

They’re no excuse: defences, mines and tanks;

You’ve all you need to break enemy ranks.

Casualties? That’s just collateral stuff;

You mean you don’t know that war will be rough?

You know what they say: you can’t take the heat?

Vacate the kitchen and stare at defeat.

We’ve stumped up the cash and expect results;

Stop being half-hearted, fight like adults!

Our support is worth a few sacrifices

(Try not to step on hidden devices);

You foe is weakened and easy to slay,

Especially if you’re this far away!

🌷(6)

Ukraine War Fatigue

◄ Young Man, Dancing

Sightings ►

Comments

Stephen Gospage

Sun 1st Oct 2023 16:15

Thank you, Hélène. I appreciate your kind words and the fascinating insight into your family history. These things are so difficult for the people involved. The Ukraine war must have divided so many families and friends.

Hélène

Sun 1st Oct 2023 10:09

Far away in California, USA, I really appreciate this discussion on the heartbreaking war, guys. You all are educating me. Since joining WOL and reading your Ukraine poems, Stephen, I have felt "up close and personal" the sorrow and pain of such a horrific, dragging-on, war violence, so close to home from the UK vantage point. As Americans far from the death and devastation, US politicians and US folks can fail to see/feel the full picture. (My grandmother left Germany after WW1 and moved to Mexico, ultimately settling in Calif. with my Scottish immigrant grandfather. She felt the pain of WW11 from afar; her German family was mostly anti-Nazi, but there was at least one pro-Nazi (sympathizer) relative; the latter being a horrible stain/shame on my ancestry). I watched a biographical drama movie about Russia's starvation of Ukraine in the 1930's, and also have read about Putin's childhood trauma and his extreme paranoia. What a f_____ mess, per usual on planet Earth. Again, I appreciate reading your political analysis comments, guys, triggered by Stephen's illuminating Ukraine poems.

Stephen Gospage

Sat 30th Sep 2023 17:24

It is true, M.C., that Ukraine was occupied in WW2 and that some elements collaborated with the Nazi regime and its odious policies.
However, Russia has sought to cast the modern Ukrainian democracy (an imperfect one, of course), as a Nazi regime and to use this as an excuse for its unprovoked, murderous invasion. This is palpable nonsense.
The need for a unified Western position in support of Ukraine has never been greater. This poem satirises the opportunism of US Republicans, many of whom would now like to pretend that the war has nothing to do with them and wish that it would go away.

M.C. Newberry

Sat 30th Sep 2023 11:20

The combustible history between Russia and Ukraine doesn't
promise anything to be over soon, more's the pity for the innocents caught up in the conflict. Russia hasn't forgotten the
part taken by their neighbour on the Nazi side in WW2 and
that massive land has a long memory of invasion from outside
its borders and no reason to trust any "Western" opinions and
actions for that reason. A situation exacerbated by the ongoing centralised grip on power by its Kremlin overlords,
with their ability to play on paranoia, to keep control of the in-country narrative and thus fuel the historically influenced fearful suspicions of its people, especially the older ranks.

Stephen Gospage

Sat 30th Sep 2023 07:23

Thank you, John. I think "clueless maggots" sums them up rather well.

Graham - let's see how things go. I still believe that Ukraine can win the war with continued Western support, whether or not it becomes a NATO (and perhaps an EU) member. It will last a long time and take an awful toll in terms of casualties on both sides. A terrible prospect whatever happens.

And thanks to John C.

Graham Sherwood

Fri 29th Sep 2023 17:16

Provocative or not, I now think it is time to bring Ukraine into NATO and give Russia a four-week timescale to vacate the lands they have improperly occupied and fight over.

There really is no other way other than to search out Putin and do away with him. Even then the West could not be certain that another idiot wouldn't do the same!

John Gilbert Ellis

Fri 29th Sep 2023 17:00

Well put Stephen.
If the clueless maggots get in, this isn't finishing in any planned timeframe.

Stephen Gospage

Fri 29th Sep 2023 16:38

Thanks to Nigel and Manish.

This was inspired by a statement from the Republican House Speaker, who, pandering to MAGA twits opposed to US aid, said that he needed to see 'a plan to win the war' i.e. get on with it and save us some money, you slackers!

Easy to say from the Capitol, of course.

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