They said that after the grenade,
colorless a silence crawled,
odorless through dusty streets
through rooms, where many still in sleep;
suffocated with their lungs collapsing
children, women, men.
And afterwards the breathless
stared at you with pin-pricked eyes.
Dying. Praying.
Syria. Sarin. Putin and Assad.
What’s another name for terror?
By the deathbed by Edvard Munch
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Silence crawling through the city streets.. strong!
I really liked the last line, “What’s another name for terror?”
Powerful, Bjorn:
‘colorless a silence crawled,
odorless through dusty streets’.
Yes, powerful is the word for this poem, Bjorn. Every line carries the pathos, and the last line the universal question. BRAVO
Wow. This is so powerful in its understatement and simplicity. The line that spoke to me most is this: “colorless a silence crawled.” A perfect description of the worst terrors this world faces.
Oh, goodness, utterly chilling those lines:
colorless a silence crawled,
odorless through dusty streets…
Impossible not to react to that, as a poet and as a reader and human.
I like the question which you pose at the end.. beautifully haunting!
Chilling!
How these men can walk and laugh and breathe after what they have orchestrated beggars belief. Humanity, where are you?
A very powerful poem and sadly, when we begin to look for another name for terror, the list can become very long
A very powerful, chilling write…..
Very powerful – first stanza especially – grabs me by the throat.
Ghastly terror and that silence crawling is chilling ~ A timely write Bjorn ~
Most damning, most sinful. Can’t ever be forgiven!
Hank
why does humanity fail us by the same people we trust into power? your words hold much strength for those fighting for personal and national justice.
I really like this section:
“colorless a silence crawled,
odorless through dusty streets
through rooms, where many still in sleep;
suffocated with their lungs collapsing”
hard to tick ‘like’ – sharing
The situation in that area of the world is insanity, with nations watching and having no power to end it. Thanks for making your voice heard.
Not much more I can add to the comments already posted.
Ah..what’s the world coming to? Powerful lines, Bjorn.
My other word for terror – indifference. maybe.
This one made me cry–what are we doing
colorless a silence crawled,
odorless through dusty streets
My stars that made me want to cry,
That was really a chilling news…powerful write!
I love that last line, wow.
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The world, with Trump as leader, may very well be ending.
chilling depiction of the sad truth. 😦
Powerful words of a powerful conviction.
Colorless equals cowardly. I won’t hold my breath waiting for someone to be held accountable.
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Powerful lines throughout. Senseless hatred leads to senseless acts of terror.
Incredibly intense. Well done!
We truly live in tragic times. You’ve expressed the horrors well.
Bjorn. This poem encapsulates the horrors of war, and especially chemical attacks on those who can least survive. I hope you and yours a safe after what has happened in Stockholm. I posted “Children of Aleppo” today on my blog. There is no room in my heart for any frivolous stuff. bless you and yours, Bjorn.
Horrific atrocities…and no one dares to say that radical Islam is another word for terror so it keeps spreading!
Such a tragedy, and you have captured the horror of it.
Sparse lines that hit right at the heart of the atrocity, Bjorn, and after that, Stockholm. Glad you are okay.
It is interesting that people here yelled about the crimes, but when the US struck, they yelled about that. Answers are difficult. What is missed is how many of the killed, are teaching their children to grow up and kill others. Ugly stuff, humans. Leaders are often just a symbol for the ugly people below them. We falsely make history the story of “famous or infamous men“.
Intense, moving, thoughtful, relevant, all in two stanzas — wonderful!
I can just repeat what others said. This is a powerful poem… “Human amidst inhumanity” This verse came into my mind about it. This verse often comes into my mind nowadays. It was written by Endre Ady in 1916.
Bam. Just like that. Well said, powerful piece, Bjorn.
This gave me chills, it’s a poem on a terrifying subject. Well done, Bjorn.
I’m coming back to read it again. ~Excellent piece, B. I hope you have fun while you’re on vacation, and I’m so glad you guys are safe. Be careful; I miss your voice already.
Your words are understated, eloquent, and absolutely crushing. I wish the violence would end.
Will the world ever, at least, be slightly less shit?
Thank you for writing about this!
The odorless and colorless are so often deadly. Love the poem, but sorry there is a need to write it.
another name—“WAR”
well, Trump. ~