#peacegrooves — Public Fediverse posts

Dialogue: The Unarmed Prophet and the Armed World

A conversation between Girolamo Savonarola and Niccolò Machiavelli

Florence. Night. The Piazza della Signoria is empty, though the stones still remember fire. The ghost of Girolamo Savonarola stands near the place where he was hanged and burned. Niccolò Machiavelli enters, older now, carrying a manuscript beneath his arm.

SAVONAROLA:
You return to the place of ashes, Messer Niccolò.

MACHIAVELLI:
Florence has many places of ashes, Fra Girolamo. Yours is only the most famous.

SAVONAROLA:
And you have made use of it.

MACHIAVELLI:
I made use of what happened. That is not the same as rejoicing in it.

SAVONAROLA:
You wrote that I was ruined because I was unarmed.

MACHIAVELLI:
Were you not?

SAVONAROLA:
I preached repentance. I called a city to righteousness. I turned hearts toward God.

MACHIAVELLI:
For a time.

SAVONAROLA:
Truth is not false because men grow tired of it.

Read the full Dialogue at PeaceGrooves.

NEW Song – Treći Maj (The Third of May)

May 3, 2023 refers to the Vladislav Ribnikar school shooting in Belgrade, Serbia, where a 13-year-old student killed nine students and a school security guard; six others were injured. The tragedy shocked Serbia and was followed by public mourning, protests, and a government disarmament campaign.

Lyrics:

Treći Maj (The Third of May)

Verse 1
Na zidu piše: Predaj oružje
The wall cannot carry all the grief.
A city holds its breath in silence,
counting names like broken beads.

Schoolyard bells and empty hallways,
flowers trembling in the rain,
the Spirit cries in a language
that nobody can explain.

Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
So many children buried in this town.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them now, hear them now
at the altars where we bow.

Verse 2
Na vratima piše: Razgovarajte sa decom
speak to your children while they’re near.
Ask what shadows walk beside them,
where their bright joy turns to fear.

Not every wound is seen by daylight,
silent tears without a sound.
Some are present in the classroom
while their hearts are underground.

Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
Too many children buried in this town.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them now, hear them now
at the altars where we bow.

Bridge
If we only shout after thunder,
if we only weep after the flames,
then the stones will learn our prayers
where we’ve carved our children’s names.

So open every locked-up room,
open every frightened hand.
Let the living be our shrine,
let compassion rule the land.

Final Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
Let no more hatred wear a crown.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them say, hear them say.
Let love be our king today.

Outro
Na zidu piše: Predaj oružje.
Na srcu piše: hear their quiet call.
Razgovarajte sa decom —
Talk to your children.
Talk to them all.

NEW Song – Treći Maj (The Third of May)

May 3, 2023 refers to the Vladislav Ribnikar school shooting in Belgrade, Serbia, where a 13-year-old student killed nine students and a school security guard; six others were injured. The tragedy shocked Serbia and was followed by public mourning, protests, and a government disarmament campaign.

Lyrics:

Treći Maj (The Third of May)

Verse 1
Na zidu piše: Predaj oružje
The wall cannot carry all the grief.
A city holds its breath in silence,
counting names like broken beads.

Schoolyard bells and empty hallways,
flowers trembling in the rain,
the Spirit cries in a language
that nobody can explain.

Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
So many children buried in this town.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them now, hear them now
at the altars where we bow.

Verse 2
Na vratima piše: Razgovarajte sa decom
speak to your children while they’re near.
Ask what shadows walk beside them,
where their bright joy turns to fear.

Not every wound is seen by daylight,
silent tears without a sound.
Some are present in the classroom
while their hearts are underground.

Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
Too many children buried in this town.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them now, hear them now
at the altars where we bow.

Bridge
If we only shout after thunder,
if we only weep after the flames,
then the stones will learn our prayers
where we’ve carved our children’s names.

So open every locked-up room,
open every frightened hand.
Let the living be our shrine,
let compassion rule the land.

Final Chorus
Predaj oružje — lay it down, lay it down.
Let no more hatred wear a crown.
Razgovarajte sa decom — hear them say, hear them say.
Let love be our king today.

Outro
Na zidu piše: Predaj oružje.
Na srcu piše: hear their quiet call.
Razgovarajte sa decom —
Talk to your children.
Talk to them all.