Bob you are 100% correct! This poem it's more of a general outlook on the world right now and state of it. But a good example to this poem would be Iraq and the war, I feel that we are in another holy war whether you believe in god or you don't. That’s ones own personal agenda. But so many die day after day for what they believe in....and what they don't believe in. I guess I wrote this poem more because of inner turmoil about religion right now. How in America I feel that its religion vs. freedom. I don't think it should be that way.......we will fall and when we fall we fall like Iracus in the poem. The religious will believe that their way is the only way.....and so this is why the pendulum sways to and fro.....

the poem is not about iraq, iraq was just a good example.......

wow thats deep I've thought about the pendulum, spiritual highs and lows 5>

thank you all so much. This is one of my favorite poems.