The Piano Player

Internal Quote by Albert Einstein On the eve of the invasion, the world braced for an upheaval. Two ancient foes were poised for war, a war between Good and Evil. For things are deathly dark and unsavory when Satan's soldiers ride, and only acts of heroic bravery can help Good turn the tide. So we watched with pessimistic dread as soldiers circled ‘round Kharkiv. We feared so many would soon be dead, we feared what’s up Satan’s sleeve. In numbers seeming infinite, his warring hordes were drawing near, when we watched a young Ukrainian boy, a boy who showed no fear. He would play on a grand piano, he would play a soulful song, he would play sweet chords of calmness in the face of the warring throng. He would play with skill and feeling, he would play with a touch of class; while the rest of the world was reeling, he was kicking Putin’s ass. Electric chills spilled down my spine and there was nary a dry eye, while we watched and prayed he played unafraid of missiles from the sky. Will he live to see tomorrow? And what about his family? Will we learn their fate with sorrow? And can we cure insanity? For nowhere in this universe could crimes of cold cupidity be justified and understood but for human stupidity. And I'm not sure who will win the war, if wars can be won or lost -- the one thing I am sure about in the universe is the cost. For the cost of freedom is bloody steep, the consequences grave, if we fail to battle bullies, and if we won’t stand with the brave. And while we watched him on our big-screens, this boy’s bravery was clear; just don’t think for a single second “it could never happen here.” Submitted March 18, 2022, for the Kyiv Poetry Contest, sponsored by Kai Michael Neumann (First Place). This is a substantive revision of a shorter version that was submitted March 11, 2022, for the Keola Poetry Contest, sponsored by Hilo Poet. As of the date of submittal, news sources reported that the fate of the boy and his family is unknown.