I practice holding my breath
sweat, tremble, and wait, fear
I’ll find we’ve come what we scorned  

it’s nothing new – books banned, books burn
journalists vanish into the despot’s hat
knocks in the night
snick of a blade
report of a pistol
hail of bullets
a bomb rattles windowpanes twelve blocks away  

while peaceful protesters march             
                   handcuffed
down the road of obscurity and into the night  

rulers seeking empires danger themselves
just ask Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Melosovich, Mao,..
Could someone nudge Trump?  

This year’s junta issues warrants of whim.
Were Japanese-Americans “happy campers?”
Did anyone ask Der Fuhrer’s Jews?