Jan 10, 2021
January 6, 2021
a desperate villanelle
may cooler heads prevail;
pipe bombs and rifles
threatening deadly hail
tearing flesh, bloodless, pale
screaming, dying no trifle:
may cooler heads prevail
precariously setting sail
into the maelstrom, hateful
threatening deadly hail
of words; kindnesses forgotten, fail
to bridge untrusting glares baleful:
may cooler heads prevail
at the brink, pushing back to no avail
bodies, faces who heed no counsel
threatening deadly hail
in failing strength and grace, now so frail
a whisper, barely heard against the baneful
threatening deadly hail,
“may cooler heads prevail”
