POETIC JUSTICE: Memorial Day

Showing posts with label Memorial Day. Show all posts

A Memorial Moratorium

When this moment, this now tortured moment
Wraps talons `round our grave limbs…
This day floats down.

When our breath is burdened
Of a heart grown weak of dread
From skies tight with fuming planes
And steel beams bending from the sun…
This day floats down.

When grenades are tossed like flowers
So blooms might flourish in darkness…
This day floats down.

When our country begs for silence
Imploring peace to come head high...
This day floats down.

O Memorial Day should rise up
Bring us to a new battle, invigorate
The sense for peace with man’s daughter.
All of our arrogant and glowing murder...
This day floats down.

MEMORIAL WHISPER

Memorial Day launched its whisper to the sky
and another lies in wait on the mountaintop
beneath the bleached mass of atonement.

O! I am determined by our failing
to nurture the patriot tree
until we can climb near to God!
Near enough to ask,
“Is this your desire?”...

Near enough so that the question
needn’t even be uttered,
just near enough
to see the river’s flow.

O! I am determined by our failing
to nurture this; our flag-waving heap
beyond the gaze of God!
Beyond the flow of the deity’s torrent!
Beyond this; our notion of existence!

Higher! O! Onward! Higher still!
Carry them aloft! Reverently lay these;
our strident armed forces of war and peace!
We can have it both ways you know;
write our storm’s name across the sky
and climb beyond the stare of God!

O! I am determined by our failing!
Indomitable of our worshipful peak!
Joy filled by our divine reaching
to build, amass, pile, mound, and stack!
We’ll have surpassed the mournful eyes
and soon be able to look down
upon the brazen head of God
and declare ourselves the victor!

O! I am determined by our failing
to nurture the patriot tree
until we can climb beyond God!
Higher! O! Onward! Higher still!

© 2006 mrp/thepoetryman

HIGH INTO THE MOIST AIR

(A Poetic Justice Photomontage)

the thread is now barren, too soon,
waving over the arid ground,
it splits again
and the cotton bleeds with the fallen lists of yon
giant horned butterflies swoop in with their drums
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
and the pageant fills the air in every city and the sky groans
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
the solemn horde stand in their mumble-stumble anthem
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
handkerchiefs are made handy for eyes dropping bombs in the dust
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
the holy alliance with the soil spilled long ago grows heavier still
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
soulless worms made of oil inch along in macabre silence
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
well dressed children stoop in slack-jawed bewilderment
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
a little boy is told to stop giggling this instant
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
the young lad won’t see that his laughter is out of order
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
and he notices all the solemn faces and bleeding cottons
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
and the giant horned butterflies beating their drums
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
the loudly torn anthem now stumbles to its horrid close
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
and the butterflies lift their drums high into the moist air
thrum-thrum-thrum, thrum-a-tum-tum
the sky tumbles down with a tyrant’s ferocity
thrum! thrum! thrum! thrum-a-tum-tum!
the pageantry is quickly called on account of rain
thrum! thrum! thrum! thrum-a-tum-tum!
and the little boy cries as the giant horned butterflies come crashing
THRUM! THRUM! THRUM! THRUM! THRUM!

© 2007 mrp/thepoetryman

Previous Post - SOLDIER

WHISPER TO THE SKY

Inspired by Holding North Dakota's Breath