I Confess I Sometimes Wish...

 I am prone to neither violence

nor vengeance,

but I confess I sometimes wish

that whatever has happened

to the civilians of this conflict,

and especially to its children

would happen

to the people who insist

they deserved whatever they got.

It is sheer criminality,

a monstrosity

to believe civilians and children

should suffer so much

because they belong

to the 'other side.'

The only real sides

in any armed conflict

are those who work for peace:

justice, equality, inclusion, human rights

and those who work for war:

violence, destruction, suffering and death.

Le Anne Clausen de Montes, 2024

A Dead God Does No Good

Were Crucifixion the means of Atonement,

there would be no need for Resurrection.

A Dead God does no good.

A metaphor used to explain Jesus

to cultures and peoples accustomed to temple sacrifice

keeps getting twisted into the idea

that if we just kill the right people,

justice will be served

and society will be healed.

There is no Redemption in violence.