beyond the burning cities
at what point does the truth not matter
after the walls have crumbled down
and the fighting men have retreated
past neutral borders into safer cities
abandoning their own identities
past the point the truth doesn’t matter
blending in to regroup & relearn
a language other than their own
spoken by fighters who have retreated
dying to live another peaceful day
abandoning a pledge & a promise
at what point does the truth not matter
recruiting women & children into their fold
sabotaging their own bridges
fighting men fearful & in full retreat
abandoning their own ideals
turning their weapons into passports
at what point does the truth not matter
as once fighting men stage a full retreat
june two thousand twenty-two
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 