Breathing Bullets

They’re breathing bullets, leaking red.

But it’s all in your head.

The faces are cracking.

The voices are attacking.

Cries deafen, begging for a confession.

You question, they raise their weapons.

Eleven children slowly taken.

In this naked nation, always mistaken.

Time and time again, bleeding pain.

The cocaine remains.

Bombs and blood, coming undone.

Crumbling stone, echoing shots, symbol of what they’ve forgot.

Swallow the pill, bury the free will.

Silence breaking, innocence fading while they’ve been debating.

Lives forsaken for their greedy desires.

White flags wave in the line of fire.

Crimson soaks the sand, reaching out for a hand.   

Author's Note

I was listening to the song Zombie by The Cranberries and was inspired to write this. Please let me know your thoughts, anything would be greatly appreciated.

Reviews

[T.Y Abdul]

Wow, I technically lost a breath or two after I read the poem. I'd never heard the song, but the writing, the words formation captivated me. The sound of wars and blood are something I kinda don't like but . . . it is touching. Good work hon, I like it.

[Joshua Carl Cruz]

As spoken word slam poetry I have some idea of what feelings are going on here but I have some questions....who is schizophrenic, us the reader? Eleven children....was there 11 amber alerts over the course of this year I am supposed to have known about? Is the last third a olitical statement about our soldiers? IS the whole thing about that in retrospect and if so why the children thing in the middle part? Unless this is a social commentary about the U.S. as it stands now? So many questions...

[Emily]

I love this!
You did a really good job
Keep it up!!

[Bear]

I have a question; You started with a nice rhyming scheme then stopped did you mean to rhyme or did it just happen unintentionally?
I am a fan of the Cranberries and love the sound of Dolores O'Riordan voice and the two Dreams albums are a must have. (Don't give me that look, just because I am old doesn't mean I can't like modern music :~p see I knew what you were thinking)
Great depth to this poem, the imagery is vivid and a frightfully accurate description of both the violence and confusion that occurs once the bullets start to fly. You did a fantastic job with this poem, of all your poems that I have read so far this is my favorite.

[....................]

As in the song, the images you create in your piece are stark and brutal...both pieces clearly describe the loss of innocence, both physical and mental...wars still rage around the world and in America, Canada, and other industrial nations, the systems of government still wage war in over-medicating our youth; the hum drum of society still wrapped up in a cocaine way of life where children are damaged before they can even make it into the world on their own...

i love the unity within all your work, Twiggy, as you use recurring images to bring each piece together...

it's good to see you back... thanks for sharing this piece...well-done

[Dani The Unreviewed]

This is powerful, and dark. Two things i love about poetry. I'm ratin 100#