[Ned Balbo]

Yesterday, I was pleasantly surprised to find "Holy Wars for Us" (from Upcycling Paumanok) posted at Verse Daily. It was only the second time I've had a poem there & quite a while since the previous (Lives of the Sleepers' opening poem "Desire: a Bestiary [Magnificent Frigate-Bird]", in 2005).

I'm not sure who does this, but I'm grateful to whoever collected a number of other links & posted them on the author page. Here's the link to that page so anyone interested can take a look at yesterday's poem or some others that have been posted on line in recent months or years. Thanks!

http://www.versedaily.org/2017/aboutnedbalbo.shtml

[Susan McLean]

Weighty poem, Ned. Thanks for giving the link.

Susan

[Gregory Palmerino]

Ned,

Still looking for the top of my head after it popped off reading your poem. Thanks for sharing it.

Cheers,
Greg

[Charlotte Innes]

Great poem, Ned. Thank you.

And yeah, "the nuisance brawl...."

Charlotte

[Aaron Poochigian]

Congrats, Ned. That closing couplet locks up the poem tight. I have never seen with/myth used better.

[Nausheen Eusuf]

I just came across this poem on Verse Daily and was about to post it here, but I'm glad to see it's already been mentioned. It's a hard-hitting poem. I can't get over that amazing last line. Congrats, Ned!

Nausheen

[Ned Balbo]

Thanks for the kind words, everyone!

I wrote the poem in 2008 or so (a sad comment on its continued relevance), but I'm glad it's getting another chance to make the rounds & find readers.

[Catherine Chandler]

Strong poem. Congratulations, Ned!