another poet sincerely warns us
that in such dark times as these
what with war starvation and hate
we must use our small voices
no matter how simple and off key
as instruments of dire witness
to resist death’s ubiquitous agents
for to do less would be complicit
yet surely we have surrendered
if peace beauty and love
are no longer words in our mouths
we have lost what we espouse
when their language becomes ours
our time is not indifferent to love
(June 12, 2025)
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