I imagine

by Lara Carey Coulart

I imagine people walking,
Walking through the rain on their way to war
Ready to fight for their country
Preparing themselves for the pain and suffering they will face
Taking in the faces of the friends they have made
Wondering if they will ever see each other again.

I imagine a peaceful day,
A peaceful day reading a book in bed
The sound of the rain against the window
Candles lit,
Filling the room with a calming scent.

Then versus now,
I imagine what life could have been.

Written by Lara Carey Coulart as part of Poetry as Commemoration workshops led by Róisín Sheehy in Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara, Co. Offaly in December 2023.