The Blood Will Not Wash Off (October 1973)
by Marc Mangel
We are in midst of war
the sounds of war and
the blackness, or the flashes
surround all of us
the colors and limps of war
are without us and within us
we are truly in the midst of war
gruesome and cruel
insensitive and blind
war
but when —
but when peace will come
or when silence at least will come
then our souls
will be at war
for the blood will not
wash off our hands
nor will it wash off anyone’s
hands
the blood of haughtiness
the blood of selfrighteousness
the blood of bigotry
the blood of thoughtlessness
the blood will not wash off
it will stay
that blood will stain our
clothes and the clothes of our
children
we may try
indeed for a thousand years
but the blood will not
wash off
the blood of conceit
the blood of deception and of selfdeception
the blood of intransigence
the blood will not wash off
and if
when that peace does finally come
we sit and talk and
make a good peace
that peace too will be
stained wityh blood
and the blood will not wash off
October 1973