War’n Out

Because poetry seemed a worthy activity during our time of inactivity.*

          Protest signs

          Empty water bottles

          Beer cans

          Cigarette butts

          Gum wrappers

spent bullets

Crumpled signs

smoking shells

spattered blood

Urine

Rest abandoned on our street.

We are left with the stench of someone else’s waste.

                  The Little Girl in The Red Coat

               Skips carefully among the debris

            To create a straight path

                    Through the remnants of our fury

          Does the erasing of our trials

          Always come by way of

          The pure of heart?

We are worn of our wars

We may wear out while waiting

For our wreckage to be s

                          a

                            l

                              v

                                 a

                                    g

                                       e

                                         d

*Inspired by Bob Dylan’s “Desolation Row”