Dominoes

Dominoes

Today one man is looking to become a champion
This man is 55 years old
The date is 1952
This man is about to shatter the world record
The amount of dominoes ever set up
And knocked down in one trail

After hours of careful setup
The task is done
Dominoes set in a row
The man preparing to set off this devastating task
He closes his eyes
Remembers the fallen and the survivors together

Today is November 11th 1952
This man is thinking of this date 1918
Thinking of the day the war ended
Of George Price killed two minutes before the war ended
The final loss of the war
He is thinking of Julian Byng
Commander of the Canadian’s
His is thinking of every single soldier that died in WWI
Allie or opponent

He taps the first domino
The chain reaction keeps on going until all
60661 dominoes fall
The same amount as the dead Canadians

The Dominoes create an image
A huge mixture of miniature flags
Of all the countries that participated in this war
Around it there are words which say

Plastic dominoes and human life
Completely different things with nothing in common
But on the battle field
You feel as if you are nothing more that another life to be discarded
For a war that should never have happened
Are we truly that shallow as to waste a meaningful life
Violence to preserve peace
An idea ethically weak




Austin