hungry cold frightened

snatching what we can

from whomever we can

making sure no one is hot on our trail

making sure no one can identify our outline

in the fog

lie to the friend

lie to the loved one

but kiss up to the cops

and all we want is peace and light

stick it to our enemies

stick it to our friends

wear one face for the office

and another face for a date

and another face to bring home

and another face to hide behind

looking in the mirror

cower before any face looking back at you

face up face down face out face off

and all we want is peace and light

joke your way through catastrophe

do not linger too long over the remains

never never think too hard about who they were

or where they were going or coming from

or what they did to deserve this

they could have been your neighbor your pal

your own family or person or persons unknown

but forget what relation they are to you

forget all but the fact you survived it wasn't your time

and all we want is peace and light

as one world ends and another begins

account for no one else's mistakes

put a lid on

let it keep until the muck sinks low and deep

but do not pretend you do not know

do not imagine the tell-tale signs will not show

it is all in the way the eye stays steady

while the mouth moves in a dozen directions

all of them leading nowhere

and all we want is peace and light

for you who think loyalty trumps all

for you who think faith binds you in some imaginary brotherhood

for you who wish everyone else would play fair

for you who try and fail and figure out why so easily

for you who knows the deceits that create our truths

know your isolation from others is a miserable fiction

know your crying hopes are the misunderstandings of a child

know that in our daily murders and betrayals and denials

we all know what loss gains us and exposes our sullied prayer

while all we want is peace and light...

Content (c) 2008-2011 Philip Milito.