Tiffany Higgins

War Is Over

                       on the Oct. 2011 announcement that the U.S. would close combat

                       operations in Iraq by the end of the year

 

war is over

over there

war is over

over head

 

war is over

over seas

over seas

today

 

war is gone

war is gone

today

 

war is over

over head

war is over

over there

 

war is over

over seas

over seas

today

 

war is gone

war is cleared

war is past

war is found

 

war is now

war is now

closed

war is closed

today

 

war is closed

war is closer

war is close

war is closed today

 

war is gone

war is gone

they say

 

war is closed

war is closed

today

 

war goes by

on waves

of memory

 

war is gone

today

 

war is over

war is over

leap, jump,

stay

 

war is over

again, my friend

war is over

today

 

war is over

wiped clean

war is closed

let’s pray

 

war-pray

war-pray

 

war is good

they said

war is bad

they say

 

war-never

war is closed

today

 

war – we need

war – we want

not that war

 

war is closed

today

 

war – I can’t do it –

war – they said –

on the news ­– on the radio –

in the newspaper –

 

I can’t believe it –

 

war is over

war is over

today

 

I clicked on my screen

couldn’t believe it

the headline said

war is over today

 

war is bad

they said

war is good

they say

 

war is gone

today

 

war is nothing

nothing nothing

 

war is gone

today

 

war is nothing

nothing nothing

 

war is gone

today

 

war is over

over there

over seas

today

 

war is over

over there

over there

today