The On/Off People

Is Empathy an emotional switch
That turns on when its one of “Ours”
And off for when it’s those Non-People
Namelessly named “Collateral Damage”

Can Politicians understand the pain
Of grieving parents who believed the Lies,
And will never see their child again, but told
“Fallen in Duty”, “Friendly Fire”, “Tragic Accident”

Expressed condolences sound quite sincere,
As they speak of the “Ultimate Sacrifice”
Paid for the “Priceless Freedom” we have,
That same Freedom they now seek to erode.

Strange they never speak the pain
Of those Nameless destroyed lives,
Parentless children, Childless parents,
Sole surviving family members.

Does it take a Tsunami to connect
The deaths of innocents by War to
The deaths of innocents by Waves
To realise that Life is precious for all

For Politicians perhaps not so strange
Unconditional Empathy cannot be felt
By those who are unable to feel that
Most Human of emotions, for Shame.