Fresco: Departure For An Imperialist War

They stand there weeping in the stained daylight.
Nothing can stop them now from reaching the end of their     youth.

Somewhere the Mayor salutes a winning team.
Somewhere the diplomats kiss in the long corridors of     history.

Somewhere a politician is grafting a speech
On the green tree of American money.

Somewhere prayer; somewhere orders and paper.
Somewhere the poor are gathering illegal arms.

Meanwhile they are there on that very platform.
The train sails silently toward them out of American sleep,

And at last the two are arrived at the very point of     departure.
He goes toward death and she toward loneliness.

Weeping, their arms embrace the only country they love.

    —Thomas McGrath