DUET

DUET
Originally uploaded by Greatwork.

the curtain goes up
new day, new aspirations
for peace
peace comes in twos
two sides,
two explanations
two war rationalizations
two forms of retribution
two dreams
too many families
caught in the violence
too many left homeless
too many fatherless children
too many vendettas
too many mothers
standing at the sides
of bomb blats
thousands waiting to go
on the roads to the ports
bodies heaped with the debris
bodies with blue flags and green flags and red flags
mourners marching to the gravesites
rocking in that same mourning rhythm
who will sing the song of peace
who will drink the cup of forgiveness
who will sit in twos and talk solemn words
who will play the peace duet
each side taking a part
to make war past tense
not M.A.D.*

BIRD

©2006, Frederick Douglass Perry, All Rights Reserved