Adults Still Playing At War

(This image is from the website Planet Retro.)

I bring you another poem from my friend Brian McLaughlin at Beej's Poetry Corner.

there are those who have never really grown up

they were no more than little green plastic soldiers

outfitted with rifles and ammo belt

as a child they were set up as to be in battle 

the foe was unknown

it was just how we played

what fun it was to pretend army

the cold war was waging

the threat of missiles

Russian missiles so close to our own shores

being launched from Cuba brought fear

we were still young and didn't really understand the danger

we continued to play army

marching with sticks we pretended were rifles

ready to take cover in the shelters we made in the vacant field 

we were still having our fun

playing army

now grown up

many of my generation sit in congress

they still have their toy soldiers 

they're no longer green

the weapons no longer resemble the rifles of our youth

and the toys they play with

are no longer plastic

they continue to put them to battle in other lands

they are still having fun

playing army