AN INTERLOPER: award winner

AN INTERLOPER: award winner


When someone enters a house
After breaking the lock,
But finds he has landed on
Rather too hot a rock;

Should we then sympathize with
The one who breaks the law?
Should we find in the house and
The house owner a flaw?

It is clear the house breaker
Is a mere trespasser.
Entering unlawfully,
He’s an interloper.

US invaded Iraq
Without law or reason.
It labelled Iraq’s protest
Almost, as if treason.

“Out with WMD”, it
Cried; there were none at all.
What could be more convincing
Of US’s moral fall?

Though one can by physical
Force often win a fight,
When there is no moral force,
Victory takes a flight.



* Written in abcb, 7-6-7-6 format.
* Initially written as entry 475041 in the book WAR POETRY "WAR POETRY--award winner", replaced on by 3 May 2007 by the present static item.
• Written for "Invalid Item" , News Desk: Contest. This contest required that the poem be built upon a news item in a newspaper. The above poem was inspired by the news item in Times of India, dated 14 December 2006, which reads:

“CHANGE WAR POLICY: US POLL--Americans have never been more pessimistic about the war in Iraq and say a change is needed, said a CBS News poll.The poll found that 62% of Americans said sending troops to fight in Iraq was an error, while 34% still backed the decision. Even during Vietnam conflict, so many Americans did not oppose the war”.


M C Gupta
14 December 2006