Peace, That Incendiary Dove
We will attack you
if you don’t make peace,
if you don’t
yield up your bodies,
soft and bruised,
arms as thin
as olive twigs.
We will drop our
big, beautiful bombs. We’ve
already dropped
such beautiful bombs,
they sail the air,
precision doves.
They detonate
peace
peace
peace.
It rings in your ears
in the aid line.
It rings in your ears
in Tehran.
It will leave you with nothing
except this
peace.
It transcends
all understanding.
14 thoughts on "Peace, That Incendiary Dove"
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your poem captures the moment, the irony especially with the spacing and repetition of “peace”
Thank you, Gaby! What a moment it is.
the title! and
yield up your bodies, soft and bruised, arms as thin as olive twigs
the dropping of
peace
peace
peace
Thanks, Linda! I love hearing what lands for readers.
Such insight. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading and commenting, Linda!
You have captured so much of the current dialogue among the demigods. Love the repetitive flow of peace. The image of the bomb as dove of peace reinforces the chaotic discourse being promoted. I keep thinking, you cannot drop bombs on a country and say now make peace in the same breath.
Ugh, “demigods” is such an apt word. Thank you, Virginia! I’ve been thinking the same thing. In fact, this poem got kicked off by hearing Trump say pretty much exactly that (pretty much “make peace or we’ll bomb you again and harder”).
Title is brilliant.
Second and third stanza pounds devastating truth.
Fav of these incredible lines:
“yield up your bodies, soft and bruised, arms as thin as olive twigs”
That you, Pam! I always love hearing which lines resonate most.
so well done- poetry at its best expressing the emotions of the day
Thank you, Linda! It’s definitely been an emotional stretch of days.
Wow, I love this. The phrase “precision doves” is so damning.
Thank you, Shaun! Generally, I don’t like to damn people, but there are a few notable exceptions to that rule, haha.