Nordahl Grieg: War is contempt for life
Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
Nordahl Grieg
To the youth (1936)
Surrounded by enemies
enter your time
During a bloody storm
commit to the fight
Fearful you ask,
defenceless, open
What shall I fight with?
What is my weapon?
Here is your shield against violence
Here is your sword;
Faith in our lives,
and human dignity
For all our children’s sake,
Search for, and plant it
Die if you must, but
increase it and strengthen it
Silent, the grenades
glide through the air
Stop them on their path to death
Stop them with spirit
War is contempt for life,
Peace is creation
Use all your strength:
death will lose
Love and enrich with dreams
all good that was
Walk towards the unknown
and find the answers
Unbuilt power plants
Unknown stars
Create them, with the bold minds
of the saved lives
Noble is man
the earth is rich
if there is poverty and hunger
it is because of betrayal
Break it down! In the name of life
injustice will fall
Sunshine and bread and spirit
belong to us all
Then the weapons will be
powerlessly lowered
If we create dignity for human life
we create peace
Those who on their right arm
carry something
too valuable to lose
can not murder
This is our promise
from brother to brother:
we will be good
to mother earth
We will take care
of the beauty and warmth
as if we were carrying a child
carefully in our arms
*****
For the Youth
Translated by Rod Sinclair
Faced by your enemies
On every hand
Battle is menacing,
Now make your stand
Fearful your question,
Defenceless, open
What shall I fight with?
What is my weapon?
Here is your battle plan,
Here is your shield
Faith in this life of ours,
The common weal
For all our children’s sake,
Save it, defend it,
Pay any price you must,
They shall not end it
Neat stacks of cannon shells,
Row upon row
Death to the life you love,
All that you know
War is contempt for life,
Peace is creation
Death’s march is halted
By determination
We all deserve the world,
Harvest and seed
Hunger and poverty
Are born of greed
Don’t turn your face away
From needs of others
Reach out a helping hand
To all your brothers
Here is our solemn vow,
From land to land
We will protect our world
From tyrants’ hand
Defend the beautiful,
Gentle and innocent
Like any mother would
Care for her infant.
