Democracy on the Zaporizhia Axis

“And so,” spake the American advisor
To his newfound charges, “What we have

Here is a crisis. And what is needed is not
Cowardice, what is needed is not complicity,

What is needed is not appeasement – what
Is needed is action and the will to confront

The infidel. Simply walk through that
Minefield while I stay here. Upon

Reaching the other side, only a handful
Of this company will still have all their limbs

Attached – and make no mistake: the orcs
Will open fire on you with heavy caliber

Machine guns, rockets, and all sorts of very
Bad stuff; and once those pieces of metal tear

Through your body, you will finally under-
Stand, you will finally know that piety, you will

Finally enter those gilded hallowed halls of
That ineffable temple called Democracy.”

David Penner’s articles on politics and health care have appeared in Dissident Voice, CounterPunch, Global Research, The Saker blog, OffGuardian and KevinMD; while his poetry can be found at Dissident Voice, Mad in America, and redtailedhawk.substack.com. Also a photographer, he is the author of three books of portraiture: Faces of The New Economy, Faces of Manhattan Island, and Manhattan Pairs. He can be reached at 321davidadam@gmail.com. Read other articles by David.