A lavish spray of floral fireworks poet’s note: What prompted this poem: The many troubles USA is recently and currently embroiled in. It's my perception that certain elements which make up a healthy society are dying, and some are dead. Our Statue of Liberty is of course a gowned lady...like a bride. Also, bride (hope, future, optimism) versus death is naturally a stark (and primal?) contrast. This poem also enabled me to express a love of classical beauty while being mindful that "real life isn't so pretty." A very recent interest in Buddhist art and architecture led me from China and Japan to Southeast Asia, of which I find that of Laos and Myanmar the most beautiful/compelling. On August 28, a fellow on Twitter directed my attention to ethnic conflict in Myanmar (I'd previously seen rare headlines). Included were photos of murdered children, purportedly Rohingya (Muslim minority) killed by rogue Buddhists. I have no proof in any regard of victim ethnicity or location; however, those photos were real, including a young (aged 7?) girl's face above a water line, which prompted this poem. Though I'm not religious, I'm a humanist who is attracted to Buddhism. The possibility of rogue Buddhists killing children touched a deeper nerve. - Cindy Bartek-Medina © Copyright 2017 by AxisofLogic.com This material is available for republication as long as reprints include verbatim copy of the article in its entirety, respecting its integrity. Reprints must cite the author and Axis of Logic as the original source including a "live link" to the article. Thank you! |