Racial animus
by Peter F. Crowley / July 26th, 2026
I.
Hostility, an entire world,
entangled in gnarled vines
and thorny briar patches,
can take off, entering public
spaces, when tribe disappears and
the outsider enters esteemed doorway.
If there is pushback or
question-mark faces
an excuse will be readymade, near
the front door on a keychain charm –
a face with a master craftsperson’s
inquisitive eyes and a nobleman’s
high cheek bones.
II.
When released, hostility became free,
allowing its owner a burgeoning feeling
of righteousness, protecting Our Values,
Our Culture and Our Land.
Iraqi World Cup fans, ICE detainees,
the ethnically cleansed in south Lebanon,
Haitian refugees –
Be damned!
As a prolific author from the Boston area, Peter F. Crowley writes in various forms, including short fiction, op-eds, poetry and academic essays. In 2020, his poetry book Those Who Hold Up the Earth was published by Kelsay Books and received impressive reviews by Kirkus Review, the New Age and two local Boston-area newspapers. His writing can be found in Middle East Monitor, Znet, 34th Parallel, Pif Magazine, Galway Review, Digging the Fat, Adelaide’s Short Story and Poetry Award anthologies (finalist in both) and The Opiate. His books That Night and Other Stories (CAAB Publishing) and Empire’s End (Alien Buddha Press) were released during the week of Friday the 13th in October 2023.
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This article was posted on Sunday, July 26th, 2026 at 8:00am and is filed under Poetry.
