The planes came again. But instead of bombs,

they dropped flowers. 
Lilacs, lilies, chrysanthemums, orchids, sunflowers.

Others that folks couldn’t name. 
Purple petals covered the land and rubble. Covered

the broken houses. Covered the graves. 
The children came out of hiding to see it. To hold

their hands up, receiving, smiling, dancing under

the blossom rain.
And when everyone had gathered together in the

open to wonder—
—the planes returned and dropped their bombs.