East Liberty Poem by Mason Maestro

They disembarked the tactics trucks
And no one spoke
And no one smiled
There were no spaces in the line
And gathered at Arsenal Park
They all agreed with hand on heart
To sheath the suggestive knives
But then
They stood upon East Liberty
With their handkerchiefs
And their autumn wear apparel
Clinging to their placards and sentiments
In quiet frustration
Knuckles white against anti-riot law enforcements

And still the dark stain on Code Pink spreads
Among demonstrations far and wide
Offers a mute reminder
Of the poppy fields and those who died
When freedom was retained
We spent what they had made
But
In the bottom of our hearts, we know
We felt the final blow