In December, 1989, the Romanian Revolution ignited with passion, which would no longer wait in silence.  The rest of the Eastern Bloc countries under Soviet influence had already experienced peaceful change from communist dictatorships.  Under Nicolae Ceausescu’s harsh leadership, Romania was the final holdout as the democratic wave of freedom blitzed across Eastern Europe.  The city of Timisoara was the first in Romania to secure its freedom, with the rest of the country to follow. This poem shares some of this revolution’s story.

Ruthless, authoritarian rule controls the cards

Harsh, brutal regime crushes dissenting voices

Quietness hides the remaining, burning embers

Daily life conceals wounds, offering few choices

Citizens endure lack of even the basic needs

Challenging days, facing endless heartbreak

Darkest days of winter, hunger and little heat

Voices stifled, experiencing numbing heartache

Freedom routed, plummeting to rock bottom

System of repression forcefully controls lives

Defiant opposition, beaten down to nothing

Dictator’s untruths cover up with empty lies

Scattering of small voices continues to speak out

Smoldering protests fueled with hungry passion

Government crackdowns to silence any dissent

Voices growing bolder, backed with compassion

Massive protests ignite courage in a distant city

“Timisoara” becomes a rallying cry for liberation

Unexpectedly, dark and evil house of cards folds

Season of change witnesses rebirth of a nation

Originally published October, 2020.