Poems Business is War

Is Harvard Business School the West Pointe of lieutenants of commerce?

Business is War Wars are fought with front-line troops and business is war Downsizing, a necessary flanking move and then a bitter frontal assault on corporate costs at any human cost The machinery of business kills easily as the weaponry of war Supported, waged and justified in casualties, how could it, should it be another way in an epic battle of commerce The war of business is planned, maps pinned by old men, slogged and fought by young Fresh troops from Harvard Business School, the West Pointe of lieutenants skilled at slaughtering their troops Medals won and generals from hell to here have always used their infantry unwisely at the best, without scruples at the worst and this war is fought for market-share It’s hard to follow the flag of pension trusts and harder yet to take a bullet on their behalf, pink slipped, eyes glazed Withering fire, managers fall left and right, shipped home in coffins of despair So stop your whining, close ranks, expect the losses, take it like soldiers Cannon fodder thins the ranks and vacancies make for promotion up the grades The few survive and damn the cost to many Wars should be won or lost, yet some just stagger, undecided in bloody hopeless standoff But the troops come home as they always will unsung, unwelcome and mostly brutalized Another generation shell-shocked, whimpering at night, remembering friends, knowing their time’s run out So if some feel their country turned its back, it’s just the way of wars and no monuments are ever built to battles lost

This poem is included in Jim Freeman's poetry collection BROKEN PIECES available here in print or as an e-Book in your favorite formats.