WAR Poem: Corned Beef, by Cassandra Cornejo

There is no war in the history we know
And in the history lost to time
That was truly won
Only common thread hanging all these so-called winners
Is the ability to be crueler than the other
But nonetheless, a winner is needed

To know your enemy is to buy champagne
And confetti and fireworks
For the war has been won by you
Or whatever you want to call the mass grave named victory

Slow process to grow pretty flower of trust
But a steady water drip can fill an ocean
So you start with fresh bread that smells like home

And then you throw canned meats and fruits into the mix
Until the foreign soldiers praise and fight over rotten peach and expired fish
Let them no longer recognize what food used to be

You leave them alone for 3 days time
No less but surely more is allowed
Let them grow hungry
Return then and scream out

“Do you need more food?”
And the foreign soldiers will cry in return
“Yes! More! Give us More!”

And that’s when you throw little dying stars at them
And watch as they grab them eagerly
Realizing too late that
They will die hungry