I will not turn you in

but I will turn away

when the time comes

for them to take you

away kicking and screaming

into the custody of fear

we all have our fears

one of mine Anne is

that the airline won’t

let me board after finding

something on me I wrote

about some evil far away

and ruin my vacation

so I must turn away now

from labor movements

war protesters and the most

helpless and tormented

from my neighbor who makes

trouble with the town

from my friends who speak

in a forbidden language

Anne you must learn to hide

better so I won’t have to see

what I must turn away from

to not look to save myself

for the tomorrows I must live

when all is taken away

yes you must hide yourself

hide your anger and grief

your art and your politics

your love of what is forbidden

then I won’t have to look away

I won’t have to look at all

Peter Buknatski

Montpelier, Vt.