When he died at war

When he died at war

 

there was a noise loud enough

to turn all other sounds

into a dial tone.

 

there was more blood than I

thought could fit

into one man.

 

there were crimson screams,

ebon cowls, and paper

white faces.

 

the air around us rattled and shook

like the metal plate over

a diesel ship engine.

 

friends became tombstones, laughter

became ash, and warm life became

refrigerated meat.

 

there was no honor,

no trumpets rang,

no angels sang.

 

a flag,

a box,

a tragedy.

 

he was no great hero,

but we cried for

days anyway.

 

truthfully, I still cry somtimes

when his dog, Virginia,

falls asleep in my lap.

Reviews

[roarke]

This is a picture we all need to look at. It's too bad our leaders have forgotten the experience if they ever had the experience in the first place. I say there is no hell, it's just an invention of man. Then I think, war is an invention of man. War is hell.
We need to look at this picture.

[Kenneth The Poet]

William Tecumseh Sherman would be proud of this piece.

[joshua deathdealer]

This is a powerful and touching write. Quite dark and sad but so is the subject. Excellent work.