Peace that Day

Deserted
Alone
Brevet
Into the pitch dankness she lit a lonely candle
And declared; there shall be peace
…one day…

She started humming that determined rhythm
Into her barely lit world
A low persistent voice… that didn’t ring
Or chime…
A quiet hum…
...hardly audible
That didn’t condemn
Or blame
Yet… without noise…
Without rhyme…
Without an actual song
Or a dance
She declared that there shall be peace
…one day…

Soon out of nowhere came the mite without might
Buzzing
Instinctively attracted to the lowly candle
Adding their colour and some light
Sounding their own declaration
Of peace
…one day…

Now there was light unabashed…
….sound unabated…
…movement unrelated…
Decedents of war are programmed for peace
They came in droves
Calling to each other
Laughing
Skipping
Running to catch the insects
Revelling in their light
Moving away from the pitch dark
With parents in their wake
Smiling at what drew the children
 The familiar hum was the tune lullabies
Of yesteryears
Of childhood
They added chime
And some rhyme
By the time the politicians finally arrived
There indeed was peace
That day

She was no longer humming
Above the chatter of children
Over the chorus of parents
Far louder than the humming insects
She was ululating
For in her barely lit world there was finally
Peace that day

Selam Kidane
May 2010
“Peace is not only better than war, but infinitely more arduous.”George Bernard Shaw