Friday, December 11, 2009

PEACE & WAR

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.
___________________________________________