A world away the softest whisper
A shuffled step, unswaddled blister
The clanging bars, the damp and cold
Aseptic smell does not get old
The punishment of shut-in silence
A steely glance foretold of violence
We’ll never know how felt those nights
His restless sleep, fluorescent lights
What was the food? And did it nourish
Was deficiency allowed to flourish?
All in aim to dampen spirit
Suppress his voice so none would hear it
With every ounce of strength possessed
He soldiered on, he would not rest
For so long he was thorn in side
Now, squirreled away, they hoped to hide
The headlines might have left behind
Their goal, keep out of sight and mind
He never stopped, he would not bend
No other way could this tale end…
The truth will always be elusive
His captor brazen, his glee abusive
But may his death be stirring song
Held in esteem, where he belongs
His name synonymous with freedom
Let his name be chant that leads them
To end the scourge of tyranny
Is what will be his legacy…
DO NOT GIVE UP.
Alexei Anatolyevich Navalny
June 4, 1976 - February 16, 2024
Comments