Editor’s note: As written in the previous post, Wendy has set war at the center of her poetry since the 1960s. As the Russian war on Ukraine enters its second week, we have chosen to upload a selection of (sadly relevant) War Poems that were originally published within her four anthologies. This poem, titled “CNN World Report”, was published in Wendy’s first book of poetry, Poets are the bravest, which was printed in 2001. As Wendy continues her daily meditation practice, she focuses on shrouding the innocent people of Ukraine with healing light, as she prayers for world peace, which has become one of the most valuable and valued aspects of her life’s work.
There they stand
Bunched together
The way little kids will
When they’re excited
In the middle of what
Was once a street
Where shell fire and shrapnel
Make geometric chunks
Out of the pavement now
And the apartment buildings
Behind them
Into relics
Like ones I remember
From allied bombs
In a part of Florence
Near the Ponte Vecchio
Summer of 1951
But here they are
Being interviewed
Children of Sarajevo
Just children being children
In front of a camera
Even when childhood
Is broken
And cannot mend
The calm voice of an interpreter
Rolls on
Above their high pitched
Clamor
They talk gesture poke each other
All at the same time
Reminding me
Of a flock of noisy birds
In a tree
Until one bird voice
Clear
Like the song of a blackbird
Rises over the others
Quiets them silences them
As the camera picks out
A face
Whose eyes look back
Into the camera’s lens
While the interpreter turns Slavic
Into English
And I hear words
From this child of Sarajevo
Form a question
No one in the world
Will answer
We don’t hate anyone
She says
So why can’t they stop
This stupid war
Months pass
I think of them often
I bless them
And I wonder
Are they alive
*From Poets are the bravest, pub. date: 2001 Photo credit: https://bit.ly/3hPuZNI
I remember this poem from your book. It is still so relevant. Thank you for sharing it again. Peace.