Poets Against the War

In class we examined post 9/11 and antiwar poetry to look more closely at political poetry.  The website considered for this examination <http://www.poetsagainstthewar.org> was founded in 2003 and anthologizes numerous poems from numerous poets opposing the invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq, and the war in Pakistan.  

A poem that interested me was written by a man from Iraq, Paul Batou.  "Minor Dream" is a poem that uses a list technique to describe a sort of childish state as in a nursery rhyme.  The descriptions of things that every child should have in life is counterpointed by the last line.  The impact is very significant.  The "liberating" war effort, as some call it, makes hardship for innocent people, describes Batou.  

Interestingly, Batou is also a painter.  He is a pharmaceutical graduate from the University of Baghdad, but he says his interest remains in the world of art.