Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Mykola Ryabchuk

The Straightforward Poems

2.

war is kill-or-cure-all
for poverty idleness
famine

against AIDS
plague
cancer

the death rate of the young
and the death rate of the old

the number of those killed
does not exceed
the whole population

but the essence of war is this:
on the battlefield
everyone can be
Napoleon
Caesar
Alexander

without risking
getting locked up

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD POEMS (2)

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The Straightforward Poems

2.

war is kill-or-cure-all
for poverty idleness
famine

against AIDS
plague
cancer

the death rate of the young
and the death rate of the old

the number of those killed
does not exceed
the whole population

but the essence of war is this:
on the battlefield
everyone can be
Napoleon
Caesar
Alexander

without risking
getting locked up

The Straightforward Poems

2.

war is kill-or-cure-all
for poverty idleness
famine

against AIDS
plague
cancer

the death rate of the young
and the death rate of the old

the number of those killed
does not exceed
the whole population

but the essence of war is this:
on the battlefield
everyone can be
Napoleon
Caesar
Alexander

without risking
getting locked up
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