An Answerless Question, Sonnetary Options

[jgdittier]

His picture placed upon the page appears.
How  poignant be his smile, forever gone.
He's served our cause, he's earned our honest cheers,
But yesterday, he saw his final dawn.
We lose each day a man, like he, or more,
A hero, he, who ne'er can be replaced.
It's he, the price we pay in ev'ry war.
In human terms, the loss too great a waste.*
*this is the thought addressed in the closing couplet

Were he not there, we'd still have slavery.
Were he not there, our arms would rise with "Heil!"
Were he not there, there be no bravery.
Were he not there, there'd be no life worthwhile.

With but this thought no cause can earn its keep.
Can e'er the cost of freedom be too steep?

[jgdittier]

Dear Ivor,
This is one of my personal favorites among my own work. Yet it treats lightly so much that is apparently beyond man's wisdom to solve.
I made four statements some of which were intended more for feel than for strict interpretation.
re slavery, I believe some troops fought to free the slaves, but had Lincoln let the South go in peace, slavery would soon have died as it was economically unsustainable and although man makes his moral progress slowly, goodness would have overcome
re Hitler, we would be so saluting
re bravery, that is nonsense, a convenient rhyme
re freedom, there are some who would prefer to live as serfs in the dark ages, sheep under an evil shepherd, but I think on the whole, man is inspired by calls to freedom and
the memorable words of Patrick Henry and Thomas Paine and that freedom is as heavenly a concept as love.
Those who find a justification to oppose war never seem to offer a practical means to do so without paying the price for "peace" with freedom. Short of the David/Goliath very, very temporary solution, how should perceived good deal with perceived evil?
Is it true that "no cause can earn its keep"? It is that line that I like so.
No need for response. This one should float off the board gracefully.
Cheers, Ron jgd