put down your flaming, burnished spear
unmask your vicious threats
reveal your white-hot rage for fear
cast off your harsh regrets
pry open all the locked-up doors
behind which hatred cries
dig up the shame under your floors
make naked all your lies.
lay bare the demon in your dread
lay waste of all your fury
don't wait 'til all of us are dead
we're in that much a hurry.
evict each dirty, shadowed greed
put out each fiery ember
strip off the terror in your need
and let us both surrender.
4 comments:
... and let us both surrender"
powerful! i can't even describe the sensation i got when i read your poem and it's closing plea... but it was an electrified hair standing on end sort of feeling.
i hope each person in conflict with another reads this poem and is moved to change.
... now, how to thank you for this magnificent ray of hope?
There is strength in all those imperatives. And the last line is moving.
I do hope you are planning to send this to your state senators and our president. So simple. So deep. So powerful. So right on, Maya. And these rules apply to world wars, family wars, and even the internal wars that threaten to destroy our very hearts and souls. May you, my long-distance friend, know peace. Here's to laying down our swords and shields, Gail
This is beautiful. That last line is so extremely powerful. Thanks for moving us all a little closer to peace!
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