(x = space)

x

x

the war today

x

hundreds

Israel

Palestine

(with or without authority)

the USA

with victims

and providing weapons

for generations

now

and more

now

x

no one to think

to fee

approves of war

it is a way

to add in destruction

to the fray

of parties

in fact

releasing demons

in explosions

and in decisions

made in trenches

x

it is

a morality play

but without the play

no stage

or actors

costumes

properties

or anything

pretend

no sound with fury

unless inside

our engines

and for real

x

abstract the numbers

maybe

but not really

each number is you

each number me

a count of two or more

is us

x

Hamas did something evil

and now Israel responds

these are

the necessary evils

really necessary

enacted

in fact

happening

with missiles

and with hostages

x

who fights with righteousness

there is some

who fights with anger

well

there is rage

in war

against which

disconnection

typically unreal

might become

a strategy

x

the count means something

more so each one

for family

immediate and extended

remains returned

they make the greater

weight in war

remaining heavy

after any

resolution

x

we hear the tremulous

inside the news

terror in correspondence

x

who shall win

someone already knows

and shall we keep the faith

to learn again

so many things allowed

too many

for the self to bear

and afterward

decide

x

we hope

we tap the moments

we wait

in abject dullness

abject fear we’ve heard about

we know

static as if frozen

except

who are first-responding

x

and in the devilry

with those who try to set up

what is next

knowing

war has lost control

when

the head is hit

the heart of us is bleeding

x

there is no sense

except

when the damning thing

is over

not over there

but done

everywhere

x

I am afraid

(I mean afraid

the feeling

the thought

the sensation

unconversationally)

I’ve said this

before

x

but honestly

I want to vote for life

and have all our ballots

count

for penitence

new lines

perhaps

x

maybe returning

if no better

to the tension

inside negotiated

peace

x

what is the end

shall we exhale

torn earth

torn bodies

torn hearts

muscular and divine

let it all

let all the evil

x

well

let’s finish with all that

and having learned

or will

to sew

to build with stone

because there will be

so much to patch

to build back up

for life

or to inter

those who must rest

from life

for now

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C L Couch

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Photo by Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash

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