ours

it’s my world
though the wars are far away

I could complain about war-chemicals
in the atmosphere

and more exigently about
war’s cost of life

the sad and tragic loss of life
by artificial means

those who had been alive
the moment before

and who am I but an Israeli
I am from Ukraine also

and of the Palestinians
Lebanese and Egyptians

Iraq
and Iran

and Russia
knowing some fine people there

I am of all despot states
especially the ones who say they’re not

I am of Earth
and so are you

and so means of destruction
hit at the statues of our lives and states

destroys us
piece by piece

one oppressive act by the next
whatever takes out freedom

will
and life


hours

exchange
one deadly volley
then another back or
somewhere else
maybe
toward allied

then the arcs overlap
and collapse
order
of things

and then we say it’s over
‘cause we say
and then ceasefire’s broken
and
who is left
respecting whom

worse than chaos is
the void

we shouldn’t move toward such
things
such lack of shape and substance
and the life itself
one life by one


c l couch


photo by mauro mora on Unsplash