Reasons Not To Go To War – a poem for Parsha Shoftim

What man is there who has built a new house and has not [yet] inaugurated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the war, and another man inaugurate it. ~ Deuteronomy 20:5

I can think of all the reasons
not to go to war and none of
the reasons to go to war.

if you have not yet
inaugurated your house
then do not go to war.

If you have not yet
redeemed your vineyard
then do not go to war.

If you have not yet
consummated in your home
then do not go to war.

If you are fearful or
faint of heart then
do not go to war.

If you think your heart
might melt, then do not
go to war.

Those are the freebies.

If you have trouble
with three-letter words
then do not go to war.

If you watch too many
animal rescue videos
then do not go to war.

if you refuse to watch
animal rescue videos
then do not go to war.

If the reality of war as presented
in the films of the last hundred years
rips you apart then do not go to war.

if you like babies
or flowers or ice cream
then do not go to war.

If you have ever
stubbed your toe
then do not go to war.

If you like a good meal and a good
building and a functional air conditioner
then do not go to war.

I could go on and on
forever until they
forgot to have the war

because no one
showed up for the war
because of all the reasons.

Rick Lupert, a poet, songleader and graphic designer, is the author of 28 books including “God Wrestler: A Poem for Every Torah Portion.” Find him online at www.JewishPoetry.net