A Scent of Peace
A Dizain
Must we walk along blood speckled street?
Hearts drumming, teeming with fears.
Must we cower in silence on our defeat?
Watch men die, cry a river of tears.
Fighting battles with bombs and spears
Have we had enough of this death and uproar?
We must put an end, to you I implore—
This pointless game of kill and destroy.
For isn’t the scent of peace sweeter than war
And tears more priceless when of joy?
© 2016 Maria. All Rights Reserved.
Graffiti by Banksy via Tree of Life
In response to dVerse’s Tuesday Poetics: Empire of Scents
Poet’s Pub today is hosted by Grace with her scents of childhood. Our poetry challenge is to dive into the world of scents. Drizzle your verses with spices, if you are a lover of food. Make us happy or sad, even lusty and sensual, to evoke memories. Fill our plate with your scented words, and fill our nostrils with emotions.
*My heart bleeds for the lives lost at Istabul and it scorches with rage towards the pointless reasons behind these crimes. Sigh. The image above is a graffiti by Bansky entitled, “Rage, Flower Thrower”. This artwork is reminiscent of 1960’s campus and street riots. The colorful flowers are in exchange for a grenade is a bid for peace and the end to all massacres in the name of war.
DoodleScribbles 
June 29, 2016 at 10:51 pm
I see your heart broke at the news of what occurred at Istanbul as well. It’s getting so hard to read the news and see all these horrors. All these lives lost. All these steps backwards. I wonder too if we must continue this, if this is some test for all of humanity. Sigh.
Poem wise, you’ve penned a powerful and heartwrenching piece, Maria.
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June 30, 2016 at 7:22 am
If this really is a test, then we have been failing and retaking over and over again. In each try, we lose more. Sigh…
Thanks, Jade! The people of Istanbul deserve our sympathy. Yet there’s not even a call to action like the ones for Paris & Orlando tragedies.
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June 30, 2016 at 9:59 pm
I agree, with every retake, we seem to do even worse sigh. And yes, the media is very biased which just opens a whole other can of worms >_>
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July 1, 2016 at 10:11 am
Love that term, can of worms! *endless sigh*
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June 29, 2016 at 11:26 pm
So sad yes… another day of bloodshed… and more and more seems to cry for revenge rather than finding a way for peace.
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June 30, 2016 at 7:24 am
Sadly true. It’s an endless game where the innocent are merely pawns.. Sigh.
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June 30, 2016 at 12:24 am
Very powerful and meaningful!
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June 30, 2016 at 7:25 am
Thank you, S! ☺️
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June 30, 2016 at 12:52 am
Oh wow, this is really amazing and thought provoking.
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June 30, 2016 at 7:26 am
Thank you, Sarah. Reading the news yesterday broke my heart. I hope we’ll have better ones today..
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June 30, 2016 at 9:15 am
Too many tragedies. 💕
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June 30, 2016 at 5:33 pm
Sighs..
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June 30, 2016 at 1:27 am
A powerful piece, Maria! Beautifully written!
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June 30, 2016 at 7:27 am
Thank you, Josslyn!
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June 30, 2016 at 9:54 am
You’re welcome! 🙂
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June 30, 2016 at 5:33 pm
❤ ❤
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June 30, 2016 at 2:34 am
give us peace now! great poem, Maria 🙂
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June 30, 2016 at 7:34 am
Peace is what we cry! Thanks, Ladylee 😊
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June 30, 2016 at 3:44 am
Ah, how sad. Another mass killing. Bloodlust knows no bounds, doesn’t recognize any scent but death, does not hold anything sacred anymore.
I feel your poem.
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June 30, 2016 at 4:11 am
Such terrible news to read today. I pray for that scent of peace to dwell on us, instead of this endless circle of hate and destruction.
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June 30, 2016 at 5:20 am
Oh WOW WOW WOW–this is stellar, best I’ve read–and I so wish I’d thought of it! I’m nearly speechless at your gift.
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June 30, 2016 at 6:15 am
Lovely!
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June 30, 2016 at 6:20 am
The questions you ask are so Timely. It is so imperative that we change our ways before we destroy ourselves. Terrorism is winning as we spend so much time nursing fear and anger
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June 30, 2016 at 6:55 am
“For isn’t the scent of peace sweeter than war” Just my opinion, but this is the best line in your poem. Crazy thought: start a second poem using this line… fill it with the scents of peace and of war. Let your imagery (scents) do the talking. Great poem as it is. Just thinking out loud (so to speak).
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June 30, 2016 at 7:03 am
Oh, I do love insightful comments like yours Charley. Thanks a lot. ☺️ And now that you’ve mentioned it, my minds working on a new one~
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July 2, 2016 at 1:57 am
I agree with Charley..this was my favorite line as well and really got me thinking, too…..made me wonder about the scents of peace and what they would be for me? It’s a powerful thing to think about as that is a great line, Maria!
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June 30, 2016 at 8:38 am
A poignant expression written extremely well, Maria!
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June 30, 2016 at 5:32 pm
Thanks you kind words, Walt! 🙂
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June 30, 2016 at 7:02 pm
the sadness of the theme of this very well-written poem is clearly shows with you vivid and powerful word choice, dearie! ❤
these killings is just… *sigh*
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July 1, 2016 at 10:04 am
Sighs… There is no perfect word to summarize such horrible thing.
Thanks dear! ❤
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June 30, 2016 at 8:13 pm
For isn’t the scent of peace sweeter than war
And tears more priceless when of joy?
Sigh.. I can feel this so strongly.. beautifully poignant, Maria.
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July 1, 2016 at 10:06 am
Thank you, Sanaa.
Issues like war and deaths always left us nothing but a sigh…
Hope you’re having a great day!
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June 30, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Tears of joy are so much more beautiful than those of needless sorrow and suffering. A lovely “call to disarm”.
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July 1, 2016 at 10:07 am
Yes, please. If only we could end these needless sorrow and suffering in a snap. We need to wake up from these nightmares.
Thank you, Bryan!
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June 30, 2016 at 10:38 pm
Wonderful poem and so very true!
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July 1, 2016 at 10:11 am
Thank you, PJ!
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July 1, 2016 at 2:10 am
Powerful and timely. Thank you.
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July 1, 2016 at 10:48 am
Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read, too. 🙂
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July 1, 2016 at 7:18 am
Evocative and to the point. So much weariness in that first line. But “tears of joy” . . . yes to that.
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July 1, 2016 at 10:53 am
Yes to that… 🙂 No matter how hard, let’s keep the faith in humanity anyway.
Thank you, Linda!
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July 2, 2016 at 5:20 am
If only we could spray the scent of peace into the wind and let it fragrance our world.
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July 3, 2016 at 12:00 pm
A clear and powerful message …and a wonderful way to use the prompt.
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July 3, 2016 at 3:47 pm
Thank you, Mish! 🙂 🙂
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July 4, 2016 at 10:28 pm
For isn’t the scent of peace sweeter than war
And tears more priceless when of joy?
Such beautiful lines! Loved the poem 💕
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July 5, 2016 at 7:17 pm
Hello, Advaita (is this how you’d like to be called?) Thank you for the kind words. Coming from a splendid poet like you, it means a lot. 🙂
…and I’m happy to meet you here as well! 💕
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July 5, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Thanks Maria, I am happy to meet you too! 😊👍💕
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