1922, Ireland

 

Michael Collins took on a task

that reminds me too much

of Sisyphus, the Greek mythological king

punished for continued misleading.

 

Sisyphus was forced to push a large boulder Uphill

a difficult task for sure!

Michael Collins, too, is expected to push

the long suffering people to a common solution.

 

But Long-suffering people expect to be happier

than the people with power, who are thinking they have to give up

some of their hard-earned gains.

Neither side thinks the other side is giving enough.

 

Michael Collins fought with his friends

on the battlefields of independence.

But when he was elected to represent

he stopped living amongst the friends.

 

Political agreements were harder to find.

Suspicions were not measurable,

except in the shocking street killings.

Peace was harder to win

 

 

By Nancy Ann Smith,  Poetry Marathon Prompt #4,   June 25, 2022