What Is War? (an answer to Catherine's question)

(March 5, 2003)
When my daughter Catherine was 10, she couldn't help but notice all the news concerning the post-9/11 war situation. And with all the talk in school on the subject she was quite concerned. She asked me this simple question and at the time I had no simple answer that I felt was acceptable to her young mind. After some consideration, I wrote her this poem.


War is a big argument between two or more countries.
Some people take sides. Some are friends.
               Some are enemies.

War is sad.
It’s when Daddies and Mommies, brothers, sisters, uncles and cousins go away
               and may never come back.
Some come home heroes. Some come home hurt.

War may help some people. War hurts lots of people.
Things get broken—really bad.
War is loud. And ugly. And dark.

War is about big words like freedom
               and liberty
               and injustice
               and ideals.
Sometimes these big words make sense.
               Sometimes they don’t.

What is war?
I wish I didn’t know.