Robert E. Wheatley

A HOUSE DIVIDED

We find ourselves in trying times,
and we face a grueling war
with an enemy, the likes of which
we have not known before.

And as the nation girds itself
for battles not yet fought,
I pray we look to history
for the bitter lessons it has taught.

There was a time, when right was right,
and clear lines had been drawn –
a time when wrong was recognized,
and the good guys always won.

A time when patriotic pride
and morals were taught in schools;
Respect for law and duty’s call
was not reserved for fools.

A time when serving country first
was normal and expected.
And stepping up to answer it
was something well respected.

But something happened in the Sixties,
as a generation came of age.
Banished God from schools threw out old rules!
An “enlightened” society turned the page.

Embrace Free Love and Share the Land,
adopt the “Hippie” creed.
And understand, what’s right for you
may not be right for me.

So many shades of gray derived
from what was black or white.
And what was clearly wrong before
became possibly right.

And as social revolution
became tangled in a war,
a good and honored calling
became something to abhor.

“Tune in, turn on, expand your minds.”
Wear flowers in your hair.
Lay down your arms, love everyone.
Show our enemies that “we care.”

It’s all so simple… why have we
not hit on this before?
You do “your thing”, I’ll do mine.
We’ll put an end to war!

But we’ll burn our flag, for it represents
“corrupt establishment.”
Spit on our soldiers! They are fools and tools
of an evil government!

We’ll seize the campus, burn draft cards,
and riot in the streets.
Then we’ll tell the world we’ve done it all
in the name of “Love and Peace.”

“Hell no! We won’t go there!”
shall become our battle cry!
“Better Red than dead!” Yes, take the freedom,
for which our fathers died!

And those who choose to heed the call,
we’ll castigate and vilify,
The dereliction of our duty,
be thereby justified.

Well each year followed war torn year,
and it tested our resolve.
Until at last, our will was broken,
all unity dissolved.

For the years of bloody sacrifice
one could not count the cost.
And for lack of national unity,
Vietnam was lost.

The victor bludgeoned to submission
the conquered people there.
And our weary nation looked away,
as if we did not care.

For the blood bath of the aftermath,
we would not take the blame:
Two million slain in “Killing Fields”,
as we hid our heads in shame.

Now that terrible era’s long since passed,
but its lessons need be spoken.
We stepped into a brave new world
with moral compass broken.

But the greatest lesson that we learned
is something Jesus taught.
“A house divided cannot stand!”
Without unity, all’s for naught.

Now once again, an evil threat
has challenged us to stand
as one, a single people
in the defense of our land.

We wave our flags; we’re filled with pride,
just as we were before.
We’ll mobilize, we’ll sacrifice!
We’ll go to any shore!

For now we face a terrorist threat,
and we’re once again united.
We’re standing fast in our resolve.
We will not be divided!

But please remember history,
when the long months turn to years.
When the body count begins to rise,
We can’t give in to our fears.

And remember most, through all of it,
the warning Christ provided.
For it’s together we shall stand.
We can’t be a house divided.

©Copyright September 2001 by Robert E. Wheatley