Desert Dweller

Bombs haven’t fallen on American soil,
and tanks aren’t rolling
through neighborhoods—

yet.

We are at war:
a war of
greed versus compassion.

Tankers have been pirated.
Boats have been sunk.
Men drown—and are shot.

Foreign leaders have been kidnapped.
Allies have been threatened.

We are at war:
a war of
truth versus propaganda.

Citizens have been murdered.

We have been at war:
a war of
homogeneity versus diversity.

Innocent people have been
separated from their families.
Mothers, fathers, and children
imprisoned without due process.

We are at war:
a war of integrity versus corruption.

Civil and personal liberties
are being disregarded.

Little by little,
we are being manipulated
by the officials we elected.

We are being pushed
into corners where we must fight
to survive.

The question
we should be asking ourselves is:

How can we preserve the right
to speak for ourselves
when the war is over?

No missiles are flying yet,
We call it peace, but it is war.

© 2026 Bruno Talerico
25/365.