When Dead Men Die
They rise in shadows, long and thin,
when dead men die, wars begin.
Safe from democracy, they cry aloud,
false victory whispers beneath the shroud.
In the cabarets, the glasses clink,
A history of freedom is lost in drink.
They toast the days of endless strife,
as laughter masks the cost of life.
To one who denies freedom can remain,
the endless circle, the silent chain,
Mourn not the dead, they say, with pride,
For the living fight on the other side.
And when the dead men die once more,
In tombs of silence, kept from war,
The songs still play, though the battles cease—
Yet none in chains can claim the gift of peace.

The Unknown Dead
Here, shadows cleave
onto a nameless grave,
where flowers bend
in sorrow wave,
to the unknown fallen,
the child, may heaven save.

In the post-2020 world, tensions have continued in regions like Ukraine, where the Russian invasion in 2022 prompted widespread condemnation and the resurgence of geopolitical conflict. The poem’s exploration of the costs of war is relevant to the broader international landscape, where the pursuit of freedom often comes at the expense of life and stability.

The Quest
Hands across the sea, unseen, their flag they fold,
As avengers they rise, though their stories grow cold.
On ships, they sail through dim stars and dark night,
toward Canopus, distant hope, fading far-flung light.
This very hour marks their hopeless quest,
As they fight, unbidden, and never at rest.
As they battle, dark apparitions creep,
Exit God. The silence is deafening—deep.
“Lighten our darkness,” the losers plead,
their hopes like ribbons, frayed in need—
the ribbon—generations wide, unfurled,
to bind the wounds of a fractured world.
In twilight’s glow, they search and roam,
across the seas, through the skies they comb,
seeking what was lost, but was never won,
their hands still reach, though their day is done.

The chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan after two decades of war in August 2021 left a deep impression on the American public and the world. The poem’s reflection on dead men rising and wars beginning speaks to the futility felt by many regarding America’s long involvement in Afghanistan, which ended in the rapid takeover of the country by the Taliban. Despite years of conflict, little was gained. 

For the Children
Children’s’ lives, revive sanctity,
hold them with care,
these values within us, purity,
and innocence, we must repair.
Conviction and courage
for what is right must lead the way,
To unleash the American spirit, unite!
come what may.
For our children, let us refocus on Truth,
faith, and love,
And rise to defend their innocence,
Pray we can rise above.
With the strength of unity,
remember our heritage, we’ll prevail,
We must restore America for the children,
we must not fail.