If Peace Were a Pill
If peace were a pill,
Doctors would prescribe it daily.
One dose in the morning
For the children who wake to sirens,
Another at night
For minds that refuse to sleep.
If peace were a pill,
Hospitals would breathe again.
Beds would not overflow with grief,
Walls would hear fewer cries,
And hands meant to heal
Would stop shaking from fear.
War is not just bullets and ruins,
It is anxiety in waiting rooms,
Depression in quiet homes,
And trauma stitched deep into memory.
If peace were a pill,
It would not cure everything
But it would reduce the pain,
Slow the bleeding,
And remind the body
What healing feels like.
Some of us study medicine,
While already bleeding inside.
Until then,
We create peace where we can
In words,
In art,
In care,
Because health cannot exist
Where peace is absent.
Artist Statement / Summary
If Peace Were a Pill uses poetry to explore the deep connection between peace, health, and human well-being. By comparing peace to medicine, the poem highlights how essential peace is for both physical and mental health. Just as medication helps the body heal, peace allows hospitals to function, caregivers to work without fear, and individuals to recover from trauma. The poem emphasizes that war does not only cause visible destruction but also leads to psychological suffering such as anxiety, depression, and longterm trauma. These effects often remain unseen, yet they deeply affect individuals, families, and healthcare systems. Through simple imagery drawn from medical settings, the poem shows how conflict overwhelms spaces meant for healing.
Although peace is not presented as a cure for all suffering, it is portrayed as a vital foundation for recovery and dignity. The poem ultimately encourages the audience to recognize peace as a basic necessity for health and to reflect on the role of art in expressing, promoting, and sustaining peace in society.
~JOHN NGUJIRI WACHIRA