Soldier Off
A villanelle in support of Ukraine
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A tyrant’s power rises from below.
Imagine when he wages war
if every soldier just said, No!
Instant peace, even though
not grasped before:
a tyrant’s power rises from below.
Imagine hate fallow,
impossible to flourish more
if every soldier just said, No!
To follow Father Moscow
the military must ignore their core.
A tyrant’s power rises from below
when brother fires countless rounds of live ammo,
kills comrade, mother, sovereign neighbor.
If every soldier just said, No!
the world would quash this crazed ego;
and peace might reign forevermore.
A tyrant’s power rises from below.
Imagine — every soldier just said, No!
Mary Keating
My wildest dream and hope: the Russian army reads this poem, and the soldiers lay down their arms. They realize they are killing their brethren and walk away.
I chose the villanelle form because of its tortious rules and repetition of lines. I chose it because dictators keep waging war despite the consequences— to illustrate that history will keep repeating itself until we break their rules.
Until then, I pray for peace and for those ravaged by war.
Thank you to the editors of Fairfield Scribes*MICRO*Fiction for first publishing my poem in their March 2022 issue. You can read it and other writers wonderful work by clicking the link.
