when people are young
and democracy is young––
they are willing
to die for what they
believe.
with age
comes complacency––
& fear
even a free nation
loses its heart
over time.
amerika engaged
in one war
after another
that was unnecessary,
costly and simply
ridiculous.
i was raised
to believe in
and fight for
democracy––
but my country
was not
fighting for democracy––
our military-industrial
complex just went grinding
on.
at this moment
In world history,
freedom and democracy
are actually
at stake––
Ukrainia is brave
& democratic &
free.
it is under attack
by pure tyranny.
how can it be––
after so many wars
fought under the pretense
of defending
democracy––
it is not
in the national interest
of amerika
to defend
democracy?
if we can’t send
an army––
let groups and
individual Americans
go to Ukrainia
as they will––
like Hemingway’s
generation.
let ours be
a true peace corps.
let us go
from America
to die in Ukrainia
if we must––
to leave our blood
in Ukrainian soil––
as is sacred.
let us be
a real coalition
of the willing––
from all the nations
of the earth
to fight as we can
to sacrifice
as we must.
i am old now
& infirmed––
but I would be
proud
to invest my life
with Zelensky
& his family &
nation for democracy
itself.
what greater cause
do we Americans, Europeans
& Peoples of the World
have to live for?
for us,
Freedom & Democracy
are Life
itself.