War

In Israel,

my friend reads poems

seeds wildflowers and

searches for innocence lost.

News from both sides

brings unasked for pain

as so-called leaders

represent themselves.

In Israel,

my friend plays clarinet

at the funeral of a cousin,

gunned down,

while work dries up

and sirens sound.

In Israel and Gaza,

humans breathe

unspeakable suffering,

heavy trauma,

yet still my friend laughs,

finds beauty,

even when her heart is sad.