BLOOD FOR

I won’t be dramatic
won’t display the
        orphans widows women children shattered
        bones and severed limbs dripping oozing
        gaping ghastly blackened wounds
        blahblah blahblah

because

words are so so cheap so
        colorfully evocative
just imagination cued by
        words they’re only
               symbols
and
when we move through

        to that compassion

               that’s not a mood

when we think

we know.

Tragedy is best observed by silence.
So I won’t be dramatic.

But as for propaganda

it’s always true
that somewhere, someone, some
many ones are suffering
it’s always true
and we pick and choose
whose suffering we care about.
So some say
“No Blood for Oil”
and some say

Yes.
Blood.
For Liberty.

Is that dramatic?
It’s just a choice, right?



J