I'm an Activist in Russia. I Can't Believe What My Life Has Become.

[Oceana]

5. Navalny 2021

like the reddening western waves
glinting from the far horizon
a narrow pathway to my feet,
your courage in the darkness glistens

like a hero of times long gone,
from feats of daring, legends birth—
walking to the mouth of danger,
risking life to show its worth

in a world self-mesmerising
in a place of endangered thought
in a time of me-gratifying
how spring the trap and not get caught?

current buzzwords all de-fanged:
meaningless and overused—
in the sum of all her senses,
Blind Justice’s balances are bruised

our era preys to staunch a hunger,
but we know not what we crave;
you refuse to play it safe—
prefer to risk what others save

leaving “safe and sound”, the idols
of addiction, reach to touch
the intangible that grounds us
to remember we are such

as should be willing to persist
into the dark and dismal hole
that speaking Truth takes one who trusts
in the rights of every soul

but you, Navalny, don’t surrender,
don’t hide or self-protect or run
you squarely face the bully bluster
you’ve done the math: you’ll pay the sum