Flowers in the trenches

Trenches remain long after the fighting finishes -

they change sides, get enlarged or filled in,

yet still they remain, ever ready, ever alert,

enamoured of human flesh and blood.

No procreative force can keep pace

with their bloodlust and appetite.

 

Go ahead, try to immerse the world

in peace and love; the trenches shall

not be denied their treasure.

From the mulch that marks the many

residents, from within the decay and dirt

rise remarkable roses.

 

The faded petal, colour of blood,

a speck of life from the depths of death,

like a spiral of souls seeking rebirth in song.

The tears of heaven, falling from the nimbus cloud -

do they sanctify the sinful? Hallow the ground?

No. Trenches would not remain unless they still had their uses.

Author's Note

Pour le monde, pas pour la guerre ...

Reviews

[Chris]

This one caught me at an "awkward" moment and I almost gave in and wrote my thoughts...

THIS is YOUR place...and you shone well... didn't need excess trash lying around...

I only mentioned anything at all BECAUSE...
THIS one reached inside... as you meant it to do.

Take care,
Chris

[Judas Hammer]

Trenches would not remain unless they still had their uses

I think that one line says so much. This is a powerful write and the use of images was on point.

[Alicia Hirshey]

Amazing imagery.

[synecdiotic]

thanks for reviewing my poetry a little while back. i love this style of poetry. reminds me of Baudelaire in a way. "like a spiral of souls seeking rebirth in song" is brilliant. overall, i felt like i could connect with this poem throughout the entire reading.

[Branch Isole]

Good imagery here for this reader.

[Muse]

No. Trenches would not remain unless they still had their uses.

Certainly one of your best! The last line struck a raw core in me. I pray my children and loved ones will not have to see these trenches. They wait for a blood sacrifice I fear. These trenches grow the red roses that let us live-on with our selfish way of life.

[ShameemAkhtar]

Excellent choice of title.

Great piece of work. I like the way how you give life to the trenches and how you link the blood of war to the colour of the roses. What is great about this relationship is how you bring a positive out of a negative and smack this back with a question mark. Does this justify all the blood?

'do they sanctify the sinful? Hallow the ground?'

This is wrenching, you bring a smile and take it off straight away with this line.

And the ending is exceptional. You could have ended the poem there and then without this last line, letting the readers pondering on this question. But I believe this last line of yours, in its abruptness, makes the poem more poignant.

No. You answer the question, Trenches would not exist if they did not have any use. Here you take back the life from the trenches and turn them back to a mere object. And in doing so, you send back the responsibility to the humans.

And in doing so, you make the transition from blood to roses even more beautiful. The natural tendency is towards the beautiful. The only atrocity that is ever committed is by man...

Brilliant

[Lane-roe]

Strong imagery with a beautiful juxtaposition between life and death - great write :)

[Poetic Beauty]

War...what is it good for. That is my favorite line in a song. This reminds us that we will always have squabbles with each other for no damn good reason. blood has been poured upon the ground and it seems it always will be for one reason or another.

[Teri B]

War is hell... Memory is purgatory...

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

So much packed into this well written poem, the phrasing was spectacular, brought the imagery to life!