EVE
by
Charles T. McGrath
Black gold beneath the seas, Capitalists fueling
prophecies. Madmen reborn from times before, practicing genocide preparing
for war. History repeating, ask only the poor, history repeating, it’s
always the poor.
Friend fleeing foe to where another is pinned, for what,
what might have been? Dreams so old, tired and worn, held separated by
barbed wire dripping crimson red. Another explosion rips a refugee camp, the
irony being there all the same, but this one is different, for from the far
distant center rises a solitary figure, one lone figure at last.
Cradled in one arm an infant in life, at her knee clung a
child of three, while at her side stood her man, a boy of five, clinging the
sleeve that once held her hand. Black robed from head to toe, only her eyes
dared be exposed, but exposed they were for the world to see, a woman’s
desire, a mother’s misery, and she commanded respect, “No more, no more, I
declare PEACE on war!” And then began her powerful plea, in language
understood through universal need, “PEACE!” Her cry was not soft, nor was it
terse, just a single syllable uttered until it was verse, “PEACE”, and with
a breath in between, “PEACE”.
Off of her back in a tower stand, rose yet another, a
broken man; tall he stood, as tall as he could, seeing eye raised
envisioning ” PEACE”, and with a breath in between. “PEACE”. From afar
joined a child’s voice, so clear and pure like glacial ice, melting hearts
once only stone, “PEACE – PEACE”, and what began one woman’s try, became
mankind’s universal cry, “PEACE”, and with a breath in between, “PEACE –
PEACE”.
Winds of harmony buried sands or rage, as waves of freedom
washed beyond fortified graves, eroding borders and barriers forevermore; in
PEACE you see, fear is extinct, war no more. There were convictions
encountered along the way, but many overturned that very day; the very day
PEACE was proclaimed supreme, bringing to Earth every conceivable dream.
Hot windblown desert sands, stilled by PEACE with the show
of one hand; East meets West intermingling free, no middle to center
apologetics to read; as PEACE rolls on washing, diluting, dispelling,
dismissing; all intolerance now gone.
A she child from Asia in Palestine see, practicing PEACE
in perfect harmony; her teacher a wise man in every sense, his classroom a
Mecca for lost innocence. From one place to another, from here to there,
comes the sweet sound of PEACE serving every care.
Cradled in one arm an infant in life, at her knee a child
of three, while at her side her man, whom she took by the hand and led into
the Promised Land, “PEACE” and with a breath in between, “PEACE”.
END
