Poetry

Tom Blackwell photo

By

Lucinda Marshall

Patriotic Amnesia

There is no glory

in the flags we salute,

nor in waging wars

of false narrative,

as we reflexively honor

those who fought

battles thus necessitated,

even as we ignore the innocents

caught in cross fire,

conveniently dehumanized

as collateral damage.

In the end,

there are only mangled bodies,

enemy and defender

bleeding out alike,

as the cannon’s report

fades away.

Dying In The Land Of The Free

Amid blankets

and lawn chairs,

happily sated

on the contents

of our picnic baskets,

we clap and cheer,

hands on our hearts.

The anthem is sung.

As we ooh and ah,

colorful pretend bombs

burst in air, symbolizing

the grim spectacle

we dare not examine

in this ritualized moment

of glorified nationalism,

lest we be reminded

there is no triumph

in the thunder of weaponry

as it maims and kills,

nor is the carnage of plunder

an affirmation of freedom,

or cause for celebration.

Ned Leonard photo

Lucinda Marshall

Lucinda Marshall is a writer, artist, and activist. Her poetry publications include Sediments, GFT, Indolent Books’ What Rough Beast Series, Stepping Stones Magazine, Columbia Journal, Poetica, Haikuniverse, ISLE, and the Poems in the Aftermath Anthology. Her poem, ‘The Lilies Were In Bloom’ received an Honorable Mention in Waterline Writers’ Artists as Visionaries Climate Crisis Solutions contest.

Lucinda mentors the award-winning Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA Teen Writing Club, and is the founder and host of the DiVerse Gaithersburg Poetry Reading and Open Mic.

For more information about her poetry and other work, please visit her website, Reclaiming Medusa.