this war is not over there––
it is over here––
it is everywhere––
artillery lies are pounding
our consciousness
as cluster bombs of pain
explode into our days
the Capitol of our country
is collapsing into political rubble
as our declaration of equality
crashes into our constitution
of reason creating toxic dust
every war ever
was fought for a lie––
& all the blood
of all the soldier & civilian dead
since mesopotamia &
the xia dynasty
was spent by the sword
of a liar
all the fragile virtues
of the gods were shattered
over & over
beyond hope
for us
the heretical trinity
is come
spawning armies
of fury
the poor
face deprivation, starvation,
plague &
murder––
the settled
experience earthquakes
in their heads &
wildfire in their families
as they witness freedom
trampled
before their eyes
the sky itself
is falling on
all suffering heads
as oceans rise
so many
teeter on the edge
of their graves
& their children’s
children weep
for fear
this is no time for war
yet war is coming
as certainly as
fear descends
on chaos
conflict is a reflex
in our world
the lies are hardened now
& armies of believers
are conditioned to kill
on command
who will rise
to save democracy?
in the smoke & ruin
of immense conflagration
how will humanity
survive?