After a Good Long Rest

After a good long rest
During which he had time
To renew and rejuvenate
His wounded body
His wounded pride
His wounded plans
And the lies he tells himself
The monster is stirring again
And showing signs
Of wishing to resume
His slaughter of innocents
His massacre of children
His rape and murder of women.

After a good long rest
The reinvigorated monster
Is energetically justifying
To himself and the world
His heinous crimes against humnaity
By claiming to be victim
Rather than perpetrator,
By claiming to be righteous
Rather than evil,
By claiming to be chosen
Rather than damned.

After a good long rest
The serial war criminal
Gets back to work
Taking inventory
Of the tools of genocide
Provided by his good friend
Mr. USA, INC.
Who is delighted that his vicious little ally
Is itching to return to the fray
And butcher away.

After a good long rest
The bloodshot monster
Once again prevents food and water
From reaching his victims,
Once again prevents medicines
From reaching his victims,
Once again prevents doctors
From treating his victims,
Once again prevents the people of Palestine
From living safely
In their own land,
Once again polishes up his plans
For ethnic cleansing.

After a good long rest
The monster
Is combing through the rubble
Trying to find where
He might have lost his soul
During all of the hubbub and confusion
Of mass murder,
But all he can find
Are broken bodies
And the shattered pieces
Of who he thought he was.

Buff Whitman-Bradley’s poetry has been widely published in print and online journals. He has a new book coming out from Finishing Line Press, A Friendly Little Tavern Somewhere Near the Pleiades. Read other articles by Buff.