by Helen Losse
It is true the springtime flowers
have blossomed forth, forsythia first,
daffodils, followed by the Bradford Pear.
Then the Dogwood. The azaleas—
various kinds, colors—slowly stagger
their release of blossom over several weeks.
And now lilies of the valley—
perfect, lacy hanging bells—grow
on the north side of the house.
It is true that tiny violets covered
much of the yard before our John Deere
tractor moved them away and that two tender-
hearted children rescued a sick, baby bird.
They put it in a cage, unaware
that it might give them lice. Or worse yet,
West Nile Virus. But this concerns more
than just the springtime. Much more than
the flowers. More even than the baby bird,
‘though I picture him still.
This is to inform readers that in August
Shane and his buddies are going to be
jet-planed to Iraq. The President’s veto kept
the bill—that could have kept them safe—
from becoming the law. This is about
the blood that flows through soldiers’ human
veins, the senseless violence they endure,
and the prayer I have begun praying.
Please visit Helen at Windows Toward the World
