Pieces for Peace
Admiring his handiwork, he stood
Before the wall drenched in paint.
They compared him to Banksy; they would
Claim he could draw anything, without complaint.
But comparison to anyone was degrading,
For Hermes wanted—more than anything—
His own, original legacy to be unfading.
A legacy as strong as Martin Luther King.
Noises filtered through the alley,
And he quickly retreated to find cover.
Two officers approached his art depicting a rally,
The “graffitied” cries of equality causing them to hover.
Delighted to uncover another of Hermes’ pieces,
One officer snapped a picture to send to the rest of the police—
not thought of as a crime or a delinquent’s form of release
but rather Hermes’ message for peace.