i know not peace
from the evening news
bearing tidings ambiguous
denoting a future perilous

i know not peace
by a fallen enemy
slipping out of memory
like a drunken man’s misery

i know not peace
as a status symbol
or a stamp of approval
bought-my-way-in label

I know not peace
as i witness surrender
from a downtrodden warrior
a misstep away from savior

i know not peace
though it must exist
as i’ve glimpsed its passing
in the kindness of a stranger,
in the slumber of a dreamer,
in the shadow of a dancer,
in the devotion of a lover,
in the echo of a singer,
in the smile of another,
in the love of a mother…

+++++++++++
for one shot wednesday

image by Katrina Nicole