Three students at U.S. colleges were killed as hostages this weekend during a terrorist attack in Bangladesh.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the 20 deaths. Per the BBC:
Gunmen stormed the Holey Artisan Bakery cafe in Dhaka late on Friday before troops entered almost 12 hours later.
Six attackers were also killed and one was arrested, officials said. Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina has declared two days of national mourning.
Nine Italians, seven Japanese, one US citizen and an Indian also died.
NonDoc poet James Coburn could only fight the hatred with words.
— William W. Savage III
Requiem for Bangladesh: Petals of Peace
by James Coburn
Flowers chosen
handpicked for prayers
by a Hindu priest.
His eyes
mirror petals against the sky.
Eternal sight.
Wind shifts gently before his life
is torn to pieces.
Three cowards, afraid of peace
see his life in a red tinged moment.
Memory of madness scars their days.
His life on this earth ends but is reborn.
Hacked to death by three men
attentive to a brainwashed ideology
anchored without a sail to comprehend
light in dark places, the blessing of a soul fallen too soon
by demons of darkness.
They live in broken pieces.
White wildflowers in meadow press
upon earth an ancient message.
All is lost to those without faith.
Beauty transcends illusion of fear.
Flowers picked from stem
settle upon him,
Never to fade from heart,
Safe where no shadow casts
spirit away.
Petals scattered by the wind
come back to him.
Fight hatred with words
by James Coburn
I will fight hatred with words
So creation brought me
to transcend
against the grain of terror
Only kindness heals
in the hum of Omm.
There is no hatred in healing
Grass comforts our feet
Deer drink from creek beds
flowing to a river
filled with melted snow
Drink from the mountain streams
and primordial earth.
Vanquish sorrow with gentle rain.
In the beginning we were moved
by spirit wind in a void of darkness
We carry the light
Fire fly in the night.
