My Only Cry — Important Questions

They make false promises about peace while building weapons

The adults deceive themselves by claiming they won't use weapons and that the world is safe, while simultaneously continuing to produce deadly weapons. The child points out that adults 'know how to lie' and make empty promises about peace without taking concrete action to stop arms production.

Blank verse

The poem is written in blank verse, which consists of unrhymed lines but has a regular rhythm. The lines don't end with similar sounds, and there's no consistent rhyme scheme. This form gives the poet freedom to vary line length and structure according to the thought being expressed.

Politics matter little to children as they only want love and affection

The child states that 'Right-wing politics matter little to us' and 'Left-wing politics matter little to us' because 'we are children' and 'Our life is essentially affection.' This shows that children are not interested in political divisions that create hatred and lead to wars - they simply want love, peace, and friendship.

The threat of weapons covering children's lives with fear

The 'veil of dust' is a metaphor representing how the threat of weapons and war has covered the natural life of love and affection that children should have. This dust symbolizes the fear and destruction that weapons bring, which overshadows the innocent world that children deserve.