Skip to main content
Work with the NEU
Fourteen Years

by Clare Evans

For killing the starving

as they queue for food
— smiles and bombs.

For hammering the front
of a warplane that will drop those bombs

— fourteen years in jail.

For the genocide of a people,

women, children, the old, everyone
murdered, captive, in cold blood

— handshakes, treaties

and alliances in aggressive wars.

For throwing red paint

over a plane that will fight in those wars
— fourteen years in jail.

Justice hides her face
under her hijab

and cries and cries,

sobbing for all the lost children,

lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters,

grandparents, friends.

Justice cries and cries and cries
and her tears form streams, rivers, oceans…

My love,

let us sail on the waters of Justice
and rescue worlds.

My love,

let us not rest

until all the children have stopped crying.

Clare Evans is a children’s writer, playwright and poet, author of a best seller.
Poetry submissions to thursdaypoems@gmail.com

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
Similar stories
21st Century Poetry / 29 July 2026
29 July 2026

by Mary Gilonne

21st Century Poetry / 24 July 2026
24 July 2026

by Alistair Findlay

21st Century Poetry / 22 July 2026
22 July 2026

by Mike Jenkins

21st Century Poetry / 8 July 2026
8 July 2026

by Rosie Jackson