Hermes

May Hermes, god of travellers and thieves

Skate on these frozen revels to receive

Not more applause - not yet - but, silence, please.

(Apologies to Aristophanes.)

We feel we must extend the end he'd planned

and graft some new material on his grand

finale, as a warning. We too hate war

and think the country's governed by a house of whores.

Write your petition. Fine. And sign it.

But while you scream for peace: DEFINE IT.

Wars have been stopped before, as we well know

And in each case the only thing to go

Were soldiers drawn back to their native coast.

What caused the war went on, quite unopposed.

We, who'd left foreign cities bombed and charred

Squabbled like chickens in our own back yard

And helped the cause of war.

You want peace? Ask for much more

Ask for your real goals first when them you find

pray to the god of thieves, poor mankind."