The sea is black with oil
Red blood flows on the sand
To the victor go the spoils
Of the ruined Land.
We meet the enemy we have made
We gave him life, his life we will take,
On both sides, soldiers, women and men
Suffer many deaths, in this war we make.
A dying man of twenty meets his last love,
Sitting by his side holding his hand,
A faceless lady in flowing black
In the rubble streets of a city of sand.
The sea is black with oil
Red blood flows on the sand
To the victor go the spoils
Of the ruined Land.
Moses come down from the mountain
A golden icon the people have made
Shaped like missiles, tanks and planes
Cavorting in a dance that will lead to their grave.
Restate the commandments for their sake and ours
Do not covet thy neighbor’s oil and gold
Remind them of what the rules all mean
Do not kill, they need to be told.
The sea is black with oil
Red blood flows on the sand
To the victor go the spoils
Of the ruined Land.
America’s banner flies over the scene
For freedom, for justice, for power
Man falls prey to his baser nature
Is God really on our side in this hour?
The game is there for all to see
Flashing across the tube again
No surprise attacks the journalists say
Make us more news we can recap at ten.
The sea is black with oil
Red blood flows on the sand
To the victor go the spoils
Of the ruined Land.
By Cathie Tonkins, February 1991
Cathie Tonkins' Creative Adventures 