Swans

Refugee

A Poem by Laurence Overmire

To have no home, no place to go To be without—identity. Nothing in a pocket Shoes without laces Time too much to spend Grieving. Hope hanging from a noose In a stranger’s hand. How does the heart survive? Where is the kindness that kills The dogs of war? The fires have burned to ashes Smoke rises without flame And the future is a long, cold night lost Alone.          Laurence Overmire is an actor/director/writer who has worked on stage, film and television. His poetry, eclectic in form and often provocative in its direct confrontation of social issues, has been widely published in the U.S. and in several other English-speaking countries. Overmire lives in Columbus, Ohio, USA.          Please, DO NOT steal, scavenge or repost this work without the expressed written authorization of Swans, which will seek permission from the author. This material is copyrighted, © Laurence Overmire 2000. All rights reserved.