They came to Marzabotto
on a crisp September morn
and killed them all
men, women, children, babies, priests
for, you see, there was resistance
and this is war
and we are entitled to defend ourselves
against terrorists.
They did it with their own hands
burned the village and the church
burned the bodies
left the corpses
then sat on the ground
for lunch
Partisans are shooting at us
and this is a reprisal!
Did it matter that so many
were under ten?
It did not
This is terror. This is war.
“We are entitled to defend ourselves!”
but we no longer need bloody our hands
Now we push a button and play Warcraft
targeting from the skies;
after all, they are still resisting
as best they can.
Yes it is regrettable that children die
and women, and old men
long past their prime
We didn’t mean to kill them
they were probably human shields
It’s not our fault
we bear no guilt.
It is they who are resisting.
.
