by Allegra Silberstein

When egoistic leaders cannot hear
any words that speak of discontent
without some hidden twisting knot of fear
that faith-held friends on some reform are bent,
arrests are made of those who dare to pray
like ages past and now the Falun Gong
who find fulfillment in their human way.
Living with grace and love they do no wrong.
But wrong is gravely done to them. So cry
out, world, of prisons without charge, of
body parts stolen for the rich to buy.
Though death comes, with faith they stand above
Chinese leaders who cannot conceive
human rights foster what China achieves.

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Recognized as an Honorable Mention in FoFG’s 2022 Poetry Contest