Photo of Antifa protesters.‘That’s Where the Edge of Darkness Waits’ by Roy E. Peterson The Society February 9, 2023 Culture, Poetry 27 Comments . That’s Where the Edge of Darkness Waits Antifascist agitators Sprinkled among demonstrators. Demon leftist fraudulence, Tries to spread the violence. Communistic perpetrators Lowlife scum are your creators. Heard your tired refrain before, Wretched song that we abhor. Chaos is your closest goal So that you can take control. Criminal deeds a crushing tool To force us into your cesspool. The edge of darkness I know well. You find it on the way to hell Where evil seems in league with Fates; That’s where the edge of darkness waits. . . LTC Roy E. Peterson, US Army Military Intelligence and Russian Foreign Area Officer (Retired) has published more than 5,000 poems in 78 of his 101 books. He has been an Army Attaché in Moscow, Commander of INF Portal Monitoring in Votkinsk, first US Foreign Commercial Officer in Vladivostok, Russia and Regional Manager in the Russian Far East for IBM. He holds a BA, Hardin-Simmons University (Political Science); MA, University of Arizona (Political Science); MA, University of Southern California (Int. Relations) and MBA University of Phoenix. He taught at the University of Arizona, Western New Mexico University, University of Maryland, Travel University and the University of Phoenix. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 27 Responses Sally Cook February 9, 2023 Excellent poem, right to the point ! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Thank you, Sally! Reply Morrison Handley-Schachler February 9, 2023 Very neatly written. There will be some people with genuine grievances to protest about but there’s always an element with a none-too-hidden agenda. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 You are so correct about hidden agendas! Reply James Sale February 9, 2023 Love the title Roy (and of course its deployment in the final line): that last stanza in particular packs a real punch. Well done. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 That is a special comment, James. I thank you! Reply Mike Bryant February 9, 2023 Mannnn… this poem says it all. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Thank you, Mike! I know we share similar sentiments. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant February 9, 2023 Roy, this is a great poem. To my ear, the beat sounds just like an army marching cadence. This makes the meter perfect for the forthright message that says it just like it is… poetically of course. Very well done, indeed! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 I love your reference to an army marching cadence! Thank you for the kind comments! Reply Joshua C. Frank February 9, 2023 Roy, this is great… it expresses so well what’s going on, and like Susan says, the military cadence of it helps it along. Well done! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Thank you, Joshua, for that reference and comments! Bless you. Reply Joseph S. Salemi February 9, 2023 There was a soap opera in the 1950s called “The Edge of Night.” As a child, I was scared by that title. But it didn’t scare me as much as the title of Peterson’s poem, and the looming reality that the poem describes. Reply Brian A Yapko February 9, 2023 Hard-hitting, powerful words which pull no punches. And it happens to tell the truth. This is great work, Roy. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 I really appreciate the super comments! Thank you, Brian. Reply Cheryl Corey February 9, 2023 Since the 2020 riots, why hasn’t the FBI tracked down whoever’s behind Antifa and funding them? Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Excellent question, Cheryl. I have my own suspicions, just as you probably have the same ones! Reply Joseph S. Salemi February 9, 2023 Because the FBI has been told NOT to investigate those matters. Reply Margaret Coats February 9, 2023 Dark and effective, Roy. A short, punchy poem like this would seem appropriate in training those whose duty it is to defend law-abiding persons against the darkness. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Wonderful comments from one of the poets I greatly admire. Reply Norma Pain February 9, 2023 An excellent poem Roy. Thank you. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 I appreciate that, Norma! Reply David Paul Behrens February 9, 2023 Kind of spooky and very good! Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 10, 2023 Thank you, David. Reply Mary Gardner February 10, 2023 Direct and effective, this poem held my attention, and at the end, I shuddered. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson February 10, 2023 Mercy. Amazing comment. Thank you, Mary. Reply Jeff Eardley February 11, 2023 Powerful stuff Roy and spot on for these disturbing times. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. 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Morrison Handley-Schachler February 9, 2023 Very neatly written. There will be some people with genuine grievances to protest about but there’s always an element with a none-too-hidden agenda. Reply
James Sale February 9, 2023 Love the title Roy (and of course its deployment in the final line): that last stanza in particular packs a real punch. Well done. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant February 9, 2023 Roy, this is a great poem. To my ear, the beat sounds just like an army marching cadence. This makes the meter perfect for the forthright message that says it just like it is… poetically of course. Very well done, indeed! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 I love your reference to an army marching cadence! Thank you for the kind comments! Reply
Joshua C. Frank February 9, 2023 Roy, this is great… it expresses so well what’s going on, and like Susan says, the military cadence of it helps it along. Well done! Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Thank you, Joshua, for that reference and comments! Bless you. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi February 9, 2023 There was a soap opera in the 1950s called “The Edge of Night.” As a child, I was scared by that title. But it didn’t scare me as much as the title of Peterson’s poem, and the looming reality that the poem describes. Reply
Brian A Yapko February 9, 2023 Hard-hitting, powerful words which pull no punches. And it happens to tell the truth. This is great work, Roy. Reply
Cheryl Corey February 9, 2023 Since the 2020 riots, why hasn’t the FBI tracked down whoever’s behind Antifa and funding them? Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Excellent question, Cheryl. I have my own suspicions, just as you probably have the same ones! Reply
Joseph S. Salemi February 9, 2023 Because the FBI has been told NOT to investigate those matters. Reply
Margaret Coats February 9, 2023 Dark and effective, Roy. A short, punchy poem like this would seem appropriate in training those whose duty it is to defend law-abiding persons against the darkness. Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson February 9, 2023 Wonderful comments from one of the poets I greatly admire. Reply
Mary Gardner February 10, 2023 Direct and effective, this poem held my attention, and at the end, I shuddered. Reply