Sowing Love in War-Torn Fields

"How can we mend their shattered minds?" I asked, bewildered,
As the child stared vacantly, his laughter silenced.
The bombs erased his home, his joy, his innocence,
Leaving traumas no child should ever bear.

"Vengeance festers in the wounds that will not heal,"
You cautioned, wise with solemn understanding,
"When justice is denied, when innocents are killed,
Revenge becomes the ghost that haunts the living."

I shuddered at the thought, "Can empathy prevail
Against the bitterness and burning, searing pain?"
You shook your head, "Empathy must stay the hand,
When empathy itself becomes collateral damage."

"What hope is there for peace?" I pleaded, desperate,
"When generations only know the ways of war,
And normalized trauma twists moral compasses,
How can we change the cycles we deplore?"

"The change must start with us," you firmly stated,
"With teaching peace, compassion, tolerance,
With building bonds of friendship and community,
And healing traumas with patience and guidance."

"But terrorist threats and tyranny persist,"
I protested, voicing my nagging doubts,
You held my gaze with quiet confidence,
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can."

"Still, radical shadows haunt and poison minds,"  
My words betrayed an undertone of fear,
"Ideologies corrupt innocence," you agreed,
"We must shield the young from hatred and false beliefs."

"How though, when war's cruelty leaves such deep scars?
When losses and injustice incite revenge?"
I questioned, torn between dread and fragile hope.

"Scars heal, given time, care, and conscience," you assured,
"But feuds feed on fear and breed only more pain.
Peace is sown by justice, empathy, sacrifice.
A better world is built by love, not hate."

My shoulders relaxed, your wisdom resonating.  
Our hands linked in solidarity,
Committed to nurturing the light in all children,
So no more innocents are lost to radicalization.

The path will not be easy, mistakes will be made,
Hearts are slow to open, quick to close.
But we must persevere, with compassion,
Planting seeds of peace to harvest change.

It starts with children, whose minds are formless,
Clay to be shaped by exposure and teaching.
Give them knowledge, empathy, community.
Let love conquer fear before fear hardens their hearts.

Nourish their spirits with justice, human stories,
So they know beyond division, there is unity.
When cruelty arises, counter with compassion.  
Meet violence with nonviolence, stay the cycle.

Some fires must be quenched, decisively,
Lest sparks ignite an inferno's roaring rage.
But brandishing weapons often fuels the flames,
Stoking hatred's heat, forcing violence to spread.

Like a phoenix emerging from ash,
Hope arises where wounds mend, connections build.
Have faith, the light endures, waiting to shine through,
If we nurture the good, and show the way forward.

This is humanity's purpose, our shared destiny -
To plant seeds of peace for those who come after,
So the children yet to be, may never know  
The haunting ghosts of hatred passed on through generations.

They will play, learn, and grow in a world transformed,
By patient hearts who believed in peace, not war,
Who invested in humanity, cultivated change,
And realized - darkness fails where empathy lights the way.

There will always be turmoil, suffering, and loss,
Cruelty and injustice lingering in the shadows.
But if we teach the light, darkness will fade,
And hope will burn bright, guiding us onward.
























   The poem is part of a full version found in the book “Homo Sapiens” Part Part I - XVIII, written by Mawphniang Napoleon. This book is part of the popular “Homo Sapiens” book series, which can be purchased online at various online bookstores, such as Amazon. The book is available for purchase for those who are interested in reading the complete version of the poem. Remember to get all the books from the “Homo Sapiens” series, as well as other books by the same author.   So, don’t hesitate and get a copy today from one of the many online bookstores.   Khublei Shihajar Nguh,  (Dhanewad  )(Thank you )