A Cry for Compassion

a wartime prayer

Photo by Tengyart on Unsplash

I don’t want anyone to die
because the babies
are all precious.
All the babies
are crying
and I am crying.

For them
but also for us
because we are supposed to be partners
in the project of living.

But instead
we justify the death
we argue
which death is the reasonable death
which death
is deserved
which bloodstain belongs
on our hands.

But I have seen the death
of mothers
and of sisters.
And I cannot bear one more.

The babies are crying
for our stained hands to hold them

and I just need
to grieve.