Laying Flowers on the Tomb of Peace

I’m sorry 

for your fallen sacrifice

and for those left to mourn

your permanent absence

I’m sorry for

inconvenient oil prices,

fading poll numbers,

and intentional misinformation

I’m sorry for 

unprovoked attacks,

eyes for preemptive eyes

I’m sorry we made sure

your only chance 

to attend college

was to roll the dice

on whether you would first 

enhance or shatter 

your brain 

I’m sorry 

so many countries 

decided mothers’ cries

were acceptable 

collateral damage

I hope 

we don’t use the valiant 

offering of your life

to justify continuing 

this repetitive cycle

until it engulfs your

grieving children,

and theirs after them

I’m sorry 

that after all these 

years of existence

the best we have achieved

is holding peace hostage

at the end of a barrel