Silver Moon Rises, Or And the Rockets’ Red Glare

there is fighting for the freedoms
that the comfortable among us
thought were won a century ago

the sunset shades of red and orange
and the black of the city below
the tumult of the world
in hue
the needless bloodshed
the destruction of morals
the sense of
utter hopelessness

there is fighting for the freedoms
that the comfortable among us
thought were won a century ago
or half a century ago
or a decade ago.
so why is the sky still filled with red,
with anger
with vitriol?
it’s crying out in solidarity
with those
who currently battle for change

the sky says nothing more,
just stares down
at the torn-up town,
brow furrowed,
face red-hot
with rage

a lone, shadowed man stands at his window
as the birds caw and flee
from his rooftop.
through the glass,
he sees the red, the orange,
he sees the faintly tinted violet
peeking through,
and he sees the silver sliver of a moon
rising over it all


Photo by Mind Core

This was written in response to Photo Challenge #318 from MindLoveMisery’s Menagerie.

Also shared on earthweal’s open link weekend.

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44 thoughts on “Silver Moon Rises, Or And the Rockets’ Red Glare”

  6. Such a beautiful ekphrastic poem, Joy – I didn’t need to see the actual image – I closed my eyes and saw it in my head. I love the phrase ‘the tumult of the world in hue’, and the lines:
    ‘the sky says nothing,
    just stares down
    at the torn-up town,
    brow furrowed,
    face red-hot
    with rage’.
    The switch in perspective, to the man’s view, is so well done.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

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