The Leader

By Cliff Lake

 

The Leader

 

From the front lines he comes,

He hasn’t the time for finery,

Or excuses.

He has a mission,

Lives are at stake,

And not just his peoples’.

The enemy he faces dies too.

The nations dependent on blood oil,

They face a cruel winter,

Made crueler by a despot,

A maniac.

A recidivist so intent on proving the horse is not dead,

That he casts the unproven into the maw.

He does this willingly,

Unreservedly,

Flagrantly.

He does these things from a bunker.

Coward.

Meanwhile…

His counterpart walks with his people,

And in front of ours.

He does so openly,

Defiantly,

Proudly.

No coward.

He stands with his people,

He exhorts his people.

He exhorts the world.

He asks,

But does not beg.

He stands before us all.

He is dressed as he should be:

Ready.

 

Cliff Lake 12/22/2022

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2022

Location: Kyiv, Ukraine, 02000

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