Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ODE TO MARS, by EDWIN B. WILKINSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ODE TO MARS, by                    
First Line: Rattle the sabres and beat on the drums
Last Line: Here's to old mars and the kick of his gun.
Subject(s): Government


Rattle the sabres and beat on the drums.
Listen how yonder munitions plant hums.
Tear up all treaties and abrogate pacts.
Censor the news and to hades with facts.

Bring all the youngsters right in from the farms.
Show them the technique of carrying arms.
Teach them the ditties of rancor and hate.
Tell them religion is quite out of date.

Banish the artists and scientists, too.
Curb all incentive and exile the jew.
Bankrupt the treasury, borrow and spend.
Build up your armaments world without end.

Menace your frontier with fortress and tank.
Soldier your border with rank upon rank.
Be a good neighbor by shooting him down.
Drop a few bombs on some near lying town.

Make the world better by using your might.
Conscript all labor. Why shouldn't they fight?
Tax them to death and they'll like it a lot.
Confiscate, dominate all they have got.

Thus a new golden rule dawns on the world,
Sponsored by hatred, its banners unfurled.
Peace and good will are outmoded, outdone.
Here's to old mars and the kick of his gun.





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