i haven't seen platoon probably 20 years on video.what i remember thinking was it could make a great play.i thought it was a very good screen script or whatever it's called.i could see it being done on stage because what makes it so is because the story could take place elsewhere......remarques novel all quiet on the western front is like that.much better than stone's stuff for real sure .anyone can learn things or get reminded of things.that's what i really liked about all quiet....another good one is called company k by wm. march...a collection of one page stories about the men in his unit and hometown during ww1.
I was a little flippant about the anti-war poems out there (mainly because I didn't want to read any, as that is NOT what this thread is about)...but if you had read what I wrote, I wrote below one poem that, waukegan, had suggested, that this was the type of poem I like...but not the kind I was looking for (or words to that effect.) I didn't say "so bloody what" (or anything like it) about the terrible loss of life in Afghanistan. I'm not expressing MY feelings towards the situation out there. Don't portray me as some cold hearted bastard, when I am not. Just because I don't share your feelings towards war or soldiers, please don't then ignore anything I say and infer I must be the complete opposite to you...and I must have a picture of Rambo on my wall (as it happens didn't Rambo go in and fight the cunts that were oppressing the Afghan people - mmm, perhaps I have got a picture of Rambo on my wall ) It seems you asked me why I wanted to read such poems and made assumptions (that you seem to like doing) - I can confirm you are completely wrong. I have said I wanted to read some poems that convey a different emotion. That's all...I can't really see what is wrong with that. I have watched it many times. Oliver Stone isn't one of my favourite directors in the world. But, It is a very good film about the horrendous nature of the Vietnam war. I'll repeat one more time: All I have said is I didn't want any anti-war poems, ones banging on about the futility of war, and none that were too gun ho. Oh, and none written by Republicans. "I did just mean some people don't see war as a negative experience." "I just meant ones that were not so macabre or anti-war. Not so much warmongering just not so...^ ^" I Perhaps didn't bring all my feelings from the other thread (link in OP.)...over here. So it was perhaps a little difficult to understand where I was coming from. Sorry about that. For crying out loud, I have not said I am "pro-war." I have not said anything disrespectful about the plight of the Afghan people, this isn't a thread about ME or MY feelings. Remember when I said that it was a little pointless talking to a person who is a pacifist, regarding war - when you don't feel the same way? I've been around and around - with another poster - about why it is a ridiculous notion that because I am not a pacifist I should be off fighting wars. I don't need to go there with you too. I like you too much for that. I know how fucking awful wars are, thanks. This doesn't mean some good work is not also done in such arenas. Just one e.g, some US soldier used poetry to help get young Afghan kids to express their feelings, and it helped them cope with the upheavel that wars produce. I know you don't want me to spam this thread with the good work that is being done in Afghanistan. So I won't. Isn't Stomfront full of racists? Yeah a mixed race man wants to hang around with a bunch of racsists... In any case I don't need to go to there if I want to read racist bullshit...I just pop in Random Thoughts for a while. Go read the original thread (link in the OP.) You might see why I moved this thread from there to here.
Odon, I'm still confused as to just what you're looking for, I don't know any war poetry so I hope I'm not messing up your thread.. As for a 'Just and righteous' war being fought, the last one that comes to mind was world war two.. The Korean war is enigmatic to me, I was to young to understand it, As for the Vietmnam war "the one I was forced to fight in" has yet to be explaned to me, we had no real plan to win the damn thing.. I guess we thought that by just marching in and waving the flag and killing millions of people that would be enough.. We forgot we were fighting an enemy that had purpose and resolve, we had neither.. We were picking up for the French that fucked things up as usual.. Plus we were fighting somebody elses war (never a good idea).. Afghanistan ? I guess we were out for revenge.. I'm rambling now.. I'll leave it with this, if you chose to fight a war then have a plan to win the damn thing or don't do it.. Peace
An upbeat poem about war? Heres one I wrote: Bang bang! The gun goes off, making me excited It seems my death rights are being recited. They say: Stick that barrel farther and farther up my hole I do. I was incomplete now I'm whole. KABOOOOOM! An atom bomb of semen goes off, I'm covered in goo. I fight for my sexuality and my country, do you?
I'm not talking about the rights and wrongs of any war or war in general (we'd be here for the rest of our natural lives.) I don't know much poetry either...hence why I am asking other people. Most people have completely misunderstoood me (in error or by design.) Perhaps my own fault, but I hope my last post clarifies my position. But, mmm, you are still unsure what I mean...I can't really express myself any clearer to be honest. I found one just now actually, this might make the point (of what I was looking for) better than I. Through a soldier's eyes Here we stand, On the wet land As we train, In the rain As we fight, For the right For others to be free, As the protestors decree To have us stop, To have us drop Our defense, And hence From Iraq, And back To our home, To let the enemy roam And corrupt, And abrupt The good change, And make things strange For all are young, That will be among The new times, Which bring new crimes That all the old have yet to see, For all we hope they wont flee And be scared to fight, For the right To keep the united states, That carries the traits Of the people from all around, that are buried in the ground That fought for our rights, and brought us new sights As the protestors hide, and stand beside Us in times of peace, which decrease The extra trouble, that they would usually double In the time of distress, that cause less progress I hope you see, that you the protestors flee As we may still fight, for everyone's right Til the time comes, and we have all the sums That make the enemy surrender, and then our defender Will come home to their kin, and talk about the win That is taught in the history, in which holds the mystery Of why people support, and how the soldiers report Day after day, as they portray To protect, and should be shown respect For all they have done, til the protest is none. It's perhaps a little Amercentric (and not terribly good)...but I hope you get the Idea.
You started a thread on war poetry, on an internet forum full of hippies, and then complained when they were all anti-war. What did you expect?
