AND THE THIEVES THEY COME #poetry by jay

So, as when the dark falls / so, as when the night sleeps
We rage / we weep / we throw stones on the rivers bed
On our pillows we weep / we weep to forget— 

The day.

Alone / to leave love / to bleed love // to drain
Forget— to forget / we come under the spell. 

Let sleep render the day from the trails of nettles 
Crushed under the foot of tyrants / from the blowing up 
Of our celebrations—

Let pain rest on dreams and let the night jet you to new planets / moons // stars. 

We calm the quakes as earth reawakes the great freeze / release // release!
 
And the flowers / they disappear from graves / and the thieves they come
They steal the peace / they harness the hate / to fuel the race / reject // recoil

Raise your head from the mountains—parade / prone // pray  
Throw roses to the gods, then raise your glass and drink.

©Jay Mora-Shihadeh

Photo by Pop & Zebra on Unsplash