All Comments on 'Paradise Divide'

is always, to me at least, powerfully emotive. I have read a few of them now and I always seem to come away feeling something. this leaves me feeling sad at the futility of it all. it happens over and over this perpetuation of wars and unneccesary deaths. I love this line

Vitriol and stones quickly begin to fly

as it is the natural progression of violence.

and I feel this

The survivors come together bloody

Walking careful with wary watchful eye

Fear still buried bright inside

Shaking hands once a treaty is ready

Relaxing and wondering why many had to die

Finishes the poem perfectly.

This is an evocative poem that immediately takes the reader (at least one with any clue about history) to past wars. While on a first read it seemed to me to be about WWI (the divide being the trenches, chlorine/mustard gas, hobnailed boots) the firebombing reference made me wonder about WWII...but then that did not really end in a Treaty (so you made me think, which is always good). I think this poem could be stronger with a couple of slight changes: there are some extra words, and some of the ing words could be changed (eg. burning to burn or burns, etc).