If you took away the conflict

And you did away with all the wars

If you put bars on all the windows

and boarded up all the doors

If there were no bombs or killing

no weapons of any kind

No bleeding soldiers or suffering

would freedom still be mine ?

If all the graves were empty

that the ravages of war have filled

and there were no headstones of Arlington

and if innocent blood was never spilled

And instead of  hate and envy,

peace reigned forever and a day

and all men could walk together

Could we put the horror of war away ?

I question the honor of nations

Not the honor of men,

For I see the sacrifice of freedom

as I search the names on the Wall again 

And if the Forefathers of our country

turned their backs on these hellish times

and buried with them the principle of peace

would freedom still be Thine ?

Boondocker,9/10/2001