Child of War

For you my child,
born to besieged city
bathed in blood,

I bow my head.

Breathe deep,
oh, child of war,
my gift to you
this day,

the breath of life.

Draw hope, from
freedom's gasp
inhale,
for I
mere mortal man,

exhale humanity.

I bear no arms
against
the beauty
at my breast;

bask in my benevolence.

I cradle you,
treasured infant.
I, a surrogate,
mother
you;

rest, that I might bring you shelter.

Bring back my youth,
the child
beneath these
battered walls,

and not the prodigy of battle.

For bonded by
a blanket,
soaked and stained,
you and I,

our souls are still the same.

Courage or cowardice,
truth or lies,
wisdom or folly,
life or death;

war distorts.

God speed, my
little one.
I protect you;
glory, grace and virtue,
personified through
child and man.

Today, my precious ragged urchin,
you will live.
Compassion for the child
has conquered all.
The tragedy of life that brought us here,
Pales beneath the guiding
hand of God.

And this my innocent of war is victory.

You live, life lasts, war ends, time moves on.