perfect world

in a perfect world,

frightened young US Marines,

do not throw grenades

into unknown Iraqi homes,

killing 2 year old Iraqi babies

along with their terrified Iraqi mothers,

as they try to shield them in their arms;

in a perfect world,

true justice does no harm

to the helpless and innocent,

in a perfect world;

heroes are perfect;

but when does enough become enough?

when does truth overcome lies?

when do facts matter more than fiction?

when does spin and myths

give way to reality and dead Iraqi babies?

and yes,

there are always two sides

to every story,

there is always more

than meets the eye

there are always underlying

and mitigating factors

which cannot be adequately understood,

unless you were actually there;

but still;

there are dead Iraqi babies,

along with dead Iraqi mothers,

and young, frightened US Marines,

left holding on to memories and consciences,

reciting official company lines

and other man-made truths,

while wondering inside

how everything became so twisted

and wrong;

in this almost

perfect world.

.

.