Tongues bit in times of conflict allowing the conflict to inflict its suspects. Rather than undoing the mess, idle acts sit by neither hot nor cold. No other idol before me, don’t worry there’s no connection between

the two. Unless inactivity and wasting time without doing work make up your identity.

When conflict arrises, will you meet it and put it in its place? Or will you hesitate because its a baby fire just crying? What harm could it cause?

Look, we’re all adults here, no need for all the buzz.

And so it’s ignored, an innocent little buzz. But that buzz is picking up speed and soon it takes flight.  A man shouts out, “If it’s not stopped someone is sure to be pricked by it’s stinger”! He is met with looks of pity and nonsensical responses, “It’s fine”. He looks confused. The man is tripped, he’s been stung.

Look now, the baby fire’s cry is now a scream. People are burning and the idle feel the increasing heat, but ignore it because it’s cause is something else. No one is in danger. It’s only the sun magnified in a window or a fever coming on.

The sting’s victim looks to see if anyone noticed the prick that he received. But no one cares. They write letters of encouragement stating, “Get over it”. He feels the swelling worsen.

He walks into a church looking for assistance. People wearing masks hand him a bulletin. Inside it he sees a section reading, “Peace Keepers” and underneath in bold, “Rules”.

• Arguing is a sin
• Forget the wrong that’s been done to you
• Reproof is never to come from your lips
• Repeat “I’m good”
• Smile and wave

He runs out of the triangle shaped building. The swelling increasing. He looks around to see little baby fires all around him, crying. He sees people limping because of the buzz that stung. He sees the leaders in tight circles, ignoring the problems around them. He sees the bulletin in their back pockets. They are talking about loving others while the hurt keep hurting and the burned keep burning.

Blessed are the peace makers abounding here, they forgive all disturbances birthed from fear. Peace nowadays is simply kept at cost dear. Maybe this is the strangest inefficacy. Fought for at all cost, this is low-key depravity.

*Special thanks to Alan Joseph Smith for collaboration on the last paragraph. Check out his latest poem entitled Amen