COURAGE
Concerning the recent attack on Leonid Volkov, a close ally of Alexei Navalny
Out of an ostensibly ordinary day
They came at him
With hammers and tear gas,
Working silently
Like professional killers,
But this time only to scare
And intimidate,
Banging his face and legs
Into shock
And blunted defiance.
At any time and in any place
We can come to you
They are saying,
Our necessary indifference
Is the guarantor of power.
What am I to do or say
And not cower
On this ostensibly ordinary day?
By Paul John Roach