Onslaught

A center stage of flood light probing, desperate living in a murderous onslaught war's naked inhumanity sky tearing rockets, a pinpoint rage casualties that define a battlefield carnage that sticks to history joyless existence for those flash-blinded by fear upgraspable horror that fails comprehension What drives global mayhem? territorial expansion, the lust of thieves the dictator's creed imperialist thrust to chop at a culture's roots to replant borders through blood-shed greed onslaught war in tanks of clattering woe brute spectacle of citizen dislocation Do we ignore war till it comes to us? as history hooks another dark cloak no civilized dictatorship no reserve to deflect blame authoritarianism that hasn't breathed its last for the murderer scheming in plain sight through rubble-years cumulative scars of foes push his nervous tick an unending pleasure malice that sticks like lipstick on a mirror Do we just change one war for another? Or is peace like the buried secrets of mummified souls? still struggling to be heard Knowledge of survival that evaporates like steam Poem composed October 3, 2022 Contest: Pick A Title Volume 32 Sponsor: Edward Ibeh