Release

from prison

and poison

and isolation

in a nation

ruled

by fear,

the negotiations,

based on relations

with allies

with spies

and assassins

for Putin

willing to help

the US 

free

the innocent—

dissident

and reporter—

is nothing

short

of incredible.

Germany

Slovenia

Poland

and Norway

gave away

some bad guys

to help us

swap 

the ones

who stop

at nothing

to speak

truth 

to power.

Allies

or lies—

that’s the stark

choice.

We each

have a voice

to resist

the dark,

and insist

on the light

of freedom.

And in

the Mideast,

as fighting

increased,

how many 

hostages

will be

released?

Our friendships

in that difficult

region

once legion,

now so 

complicated,

make being

dedicated

to an ally

predicated

on peace

and security

an almost 

impossibility

but for the 

possibility

of swapping

hostages

for freedom

and security.

Peace,

like freedom,

is an unending

task

that asks

us 

to cultivate

allies

to fight

the lies

and terror

that imprison.