WHAT GEORGE SAW 1916

AN OFFICER IN 1916 HOME WITH SHELL SHOCK

George lies in the dark
of his room, a slit of light
from the moon squeezes
through the gap of the
curtains and makes a streak
onto the floor and the wall
by his bed. He hears gunshot
and explosions, hears men's
moans from No-Man's Land,
senses rats run along the trench.

His hands shake, his eyes stare.

By the window fast asleep a
nurse sits unaware of the wars
inside George's head as he lies
in bed. He watches as Grimes
sits against the trench wall,
smoking a cigarette, then
stands up and goes to the steps,
and looks over the top; smoke
from his cigarette floating
about his head; a whine, splat
and Grimes falls back dead.

Georges stares and mumbles.

Grimes lies staring into the
blackness as if an answer is there.

George gets out of bed, walks
to the wall to tend to Grimes.

The chair by the wall where
the nurse's coat lies stands still.

George talks to the coat, talks
to Grimes. The coat is silent
and unmoving like one dead.

George sees Grimes lying there
in his broken mind and head.