image credit - fair use: Wikipedia, The Art of War - a bamboo copy of the book
For this month's Get Listed word list prompt, I've chosen words culled from an English language translation of The Art of War, commonly attributed to Sun Tzu (specifically, the Lionel Giles 1910 edition as edited by James Clavell.)
I recently re-read it after 30 years, inspired (if it can be termed thus) by ongoing conflicts in the Ukraine, Syria, Gaza, and Ferguson, MO, but also from the nebulous and interminable 'wars' on drugs, terrorism, and poverty that litter our landscape and devour our common budget and attention, feeding our anxieties and fears while doing little but exacerbate the situations.
The book contains 13 chapters, each devoted to a different aspect of strategy. Anecdotes from historical battles are used to illustrate each lesson. One wonders about life in the war camps 2600 years ago... or today.
Wiki claims that it's required reading in the US CIA, and is on the Recommended Reading list for the Marines. It's been taught in business schools for several decades, as well.
What comes from war? Well, in theory, peace. One can hope.
So the mission this month, should you choose to accept it, is to compose a *new* pen using a least 3 of the following words. The subject matter is yours to choose - war is not the (only) answer.
The list (1 word for, if not from, each chapter):
art, war, attack, fire, capture, neglected, ardor, tactics, energy, alliance, treachery, scheme, tenderness
As a reminder, to participate, post the link to your blog in Mr. Linky below, then please visit later to see what your fellow poets have added, and comment if so moved.