War

Tomorrow, when I get up, 
there may be war,
and we shall all be poorer,
maybe dead.

The mortgage on the house,
the other debts,
are small compared to sons.
And if war comes,
it is in part our greed.

 We need no more.

One daughter works in Chatham
and my son 
is teaching school in Hartford.
If war does come,
the children in Iraq 
are sure to burn.

My youngest lives in Washington.
She is small,
most vulnerable of all.
I see her turn to wave 
and say goodbye.

I start the car. 
Children are walking to school.
I wait a while.

 My prayer is for the children,
that they may grow
and not grow up in their turn
to go to war.