An invitation came, so simple.
A form to shape helpless despair.
Write peace bead Haikus
as new war rages, scale tipping
bombardment
tight space, total devastation
Leveled.

Our government shows its support,
speaks in sports language
about whose at fault,
who gets the penalty,
where the flag gets placed
in the field strewn with body bags.
Mothers, children, fathers, neighbors.
“Collateral damage”, as if lives carry separate worth
But anyway, oops – you got in the way.
As if a fumbled pass had breached the stands.
Umpire Biden assigns penalty to other side.

This CAUSE, brought us to
GROUP together like late autumn crows
circling the smokestack, then
clustered in trees cawing insistent laments.

Collectively pulling out a QUILL.
Dipping it into the dark well,
our cries to paper, writing
UNTIL the darkest hour comes,
and we settle in our roost.

Heather