*A poem I wrote to honor Anna khmatova who witness unspeakable events in Russia during her lifetime. Strangely appropriate these days in America.*

And All Her Peers

A notebook burns–your verses in the flames

Kaleidoscopically ignite, to sing.

Half-truths and lies require no censuring,

Mutations of the muse. Oh, better mute,

Assuredly–the people’s voice, their soul,

Transported off to camps, imprisoned and

Obliterated both by guns and fear,

Veraciously consumed, like everything.

And Witness waits for words to reappear.