Isaiah's Vision by Ryan Diaz

In every age violence seems to reign,

Exerting its will on a weary world

With its iron fist clenched and curled

Ready to strike those who defame its name.

We spend too much time justifying it’s

Presence--savoring the peace it brings,

Ignoring how it turns men into things,

Casualties we too casually omit.

Maybe our swords make for better plowshares,

Instruments of death transformed into

Instruments of life--a new lens to see through,

Exposing us to the other’s cares,

Breaking the cycle of life for life,

Dispelling the lie that might is right.

Ryan Diaz is a poet and writer from Queens, NY. He holds a BA in History from St. Johns University and is currently completing a MA in Biblical Studies. Ryan’s writing attempts to find the divine in the ordinary, the thin place where fantasy and reality meet. His work has been featured in publications like Ekstasis, Premier Christianity, Dappled Things, and Busted Halo. His first poetry collection, For Those Wandering Along the Way, was released in 2021. He currently lives in Queens, NY with his wife Janiece. Keep up with Ryan's work at www.avagueidea.com.