by Mary Saracino
Peace is
a heartbeat
a breath
a bowl of rice
or soup
or pasta
or beans
a kiss
a caress
laughter
safety
school books
health care
jobs
joy
gratitude
War is
flat-lines
rattling rales
deafening dirges
a litany
of mangled
guts
oozing brains
righteous causes
cold coffins
anguish
terror
senseless
horror
duty to
god
country
honor
glory
Mary Saracino is a novelist, poet and memoir-writer who lives in Lafayette, CO . Her most recent novel, The Singing of Swans (Pearlsong Press 2006) was a 2007 Lambda Literary Awards Finalist. Her short story, "Vicky's Secret" earned the 2007 Glass Woman Prize.
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