Today is the 5th anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing. Martin Richard, just 8 years old was killed in the attack.
“Peace”
“No more hurting people”
A little prince wise beyond his years
eyes filled with promise
of great deeds to come.
Greeting the victors
adding his accolades
Athens triumphant
a laurel wreath
crowning Pheidippides.
Amongst the multitude in the agora
the shadow of death
stunted specters
souls without hope, their darkness falling
over a prince of hopes and dreams
Wails from the multitude
the wise princely eyes
covered with coins
payment to Charon
for the journey ‘cross the Styx.
And the multitude wept
as the Oracles screamed
and spoke in babble;
fists shaken at heaven
asking why, while Zeus was silent
And Zeus answered
“Shake not your fists at heaven asking why
for some things you cannot know;
take comfort that you are not alone.
After all, did not the gods abandon even mighty Troy?”
.
Once again, the depth and soul of your poetry has moved me. You have no idea. I am at a loss for words. Thank you for honoring this ‘littlest victim’ of brutality and inhumanity.
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A wonderful last line. We had the same thing in Warrington, England. An IRA bomb killed only two little boys,three-year-old Johnathan Ball and twelve-year-old Tim Parry, By one of life’s supreme ironies, much of the IRA’s “freedom fighting” was financed by the Irish community in Boston, or at least, that was what we all believed at the time.
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On the mark as always, Frank. More bombing in Syria can only serve to increase the likelihood of attacks on civilians in western countries.
Best wishes, Pete.
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