for as long as
there have been blades
staunch enough,
humans have
reveled in humiliating
the stemless
heads
of their
enemies.
when an
ally is beheaded,
it is the
vilest act in
history;
but to display
an enemy’s
trophy head
is an
acclamation of
glory.
yet gaze,
if you will,
at the dead
sad head of an
enemy or an ally
& try to find the
humanity.
if people are
fascinated by
death, they are
titillated by
novelty.
how many
heads did it
take to quiet
the guillotine
& still the
revolution in
france?
how many
heads will be
fed to the
hungry gods of
war before peace
rebels in the
stomachs of the
living?
what words? what
prayers? what dreams?
what loss
will it take to
teach people
to live together
at last?