Pour Papa
*
*
what were you thinking
as you repeatedly crawled
into Gunfire?
reaching for your Fallen
comrades
heaving them onto stretchers
all the while hugging
the Earth
Oblivious to explosions
impervious to Bullet Rain
*
was it youthful conviction
in immortality
or teeth gritting defiance
of Death?
*
Your gathered Freedom Fighters
pushed onwards
heartened by an enemy
retreating
seeing a glow
in what appeared
At Last
the Darkest Tunnel’s End
*
cleaning and dressing wounds
relieving Pain
where you could
carrying Them
desperately
close to your heart
as they took a last Breath
holding their hands
an Angel to the fevered
*
So many Fell
you survived
a Keeper of the Story
*
Those were Thunderous Times
Returning
to the small things
of ordinary life
awoke Torment
subdued by action
pursued you into the Everyday
Until
refusing to buckle
you Succumbed
*
the voices, so many
so vociferous,
so demanding
you became Two
like Wolves
they fought for your heart
in the end
only the one you fed
could win
*