there is no honor in hate

by Linda M. Crate

cruelty bestowed
by the hand of her brother
an ax to the face,
Gul Meena's brains dislocated so the world
could see — a miracle that
she lived; yet she wished she were dead
my heart breaks for this girl
only wanting love and a life where
something good happened,
where she was truly happy
yet her brother killed her dreams and her love —
almost murdered her; my fury burns
like the flames of stars, i wish i could scald
him in my fury long and outstretching
as the arms of the oldest oak
i cannot understand — why can anyone fathom
such an atrocity is atoned by the excuse of
honor, it is beyond me in a culture i don't comprehend
yet i know that this is wrong in my
heart of hearts and i can't imagine they don't know this too —
if animals can get along despite their differences
love transcending between species and generation gaps
why is that we humans cannot do the same, why is it that our hate
consumes our sense if we are the only animals that can act civilized
is there a reason why we're always content to be beasts?
the answer lays in the fact that it's easier
in assuming no responsibility than to swallow the truth that
every action holds a consequence,
that evilness lurks in the hearts of men.