Where I thought gone the years of war,
the world surprises me
with children sobbing away,
saying final goodbyes
to beloved fathers whose grief concealed,
cramming into trains
to God knows where.
Where I thought home was here to stay,
the world surprises me
with shards of glass
scattered on dusty floors,
fire raging in corners
of abandoned kindergartens,
old men holding out arms
as tanks roll in the direction of home.
Where I thought leaders had our trust,
the world surprises me
with teenagers knowing not their worth,
ordered to march to front lines
of battles so few need witness,
“in the name of freedom,
in the name of security”
(in the name of crazy old men)
Where I thought world peace was everlasting,
the world surprises me
with more than just uniforms on the streets
or tanks on the plains
or missiles from the skies
or threats on the tongues
of suns in the nights
“words, just words” they say…
I shudder to think:
if today’s words are just words,
will tomorrow’s wars be just wars?