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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
American writers on peace and against war
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Carl John Bostelmann
The Call to Arms
Drums of doom are marching to the battle.
The bugle calls of death are crying, crying.
Come, Youth, the gods of hate demand your chattel!
Men, many men are needed for the dying!
The martial music of the regiments
Blare their insistent summons. From a hill
Bold banners float above ten thousand tents
Where multitudes are learning to kill.
Hate, still thy drums! War, make thy trumpets mute!
Earth, stay vain sacrifice of singing sons
Gone forth to massacre! Love, give salute!
God! Save young laughter from the lust of guns!
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