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Wednesday, March 16, 2022

BLANK SIGNS

by donnarkevic


Anti-war protesters in Russia are being detained by police for holding up blank posters as part of demonstrations protesting against President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. —Newsweek, March 15, 2022


Perhaps they believe 
we did not overcome; 
we did not give peace a chance; 
we did not live up to the Beatitudes; 
we did not heed the Buddha 
and keep our hearts free from hate. 
 
Perhaps they know no words 
for the pain of hunger  
on their children’s faces, 
for the lies that gather 
like flies on dead neighbors’ faces, 
for the quiet noise of fleeing refugees. 
 
Perhaps they had enough death, 
enough war, 
and they are left 
with nothing left  
to say. 
Nothing. 


donnarkevic: Buckhannon, WV. MFA National University. Work has appeared in Rattle, Witness, Jewish Currents, Blue Collar Review, and many other literary magazines and anthologies. A Best of the Net and two-time Pushcart nominee with over 300 published poems. Main Street Rag published the novella of poetry After the Lynching, in 2022.