Truce
Today,
I did not waken to the
sounds of war.
Morning tea,
was not seasoned by the
mist of crumbling mortar.
My gun,
left on a makeshift and
empty table…
My gun,
left on a makeshift and
empty table…
I go in search of food.
The theater is gone.
Broken rows of empty seats
no longer watch the stage.
Where am I?
Signs are missing.
Familiar landmarks lie
lost among the
scattered rubble.
I hear the Crying Man
before I see him.
How long has he been crying?
By the looks of his dead family
must be about a week.
He’ll be gone soon too…
you can tell.
Shit!
He’ll be gone soon too…
you can tell.
Shit!
There’s the pharmacy,
blown to hell.
Little Bit needs medicine
but I don’ know what kind.
And I don’t know how much.
God!
Where’s the relief truck?
Are they sending supplies?
What day is it?
What year?
The streets are so quiet.
Silent, almost...
As if, grief
naturally muffles.
I want to cry
but nothing comes.
No tears.
No prayers.
No help.
I have to go back.
Back and tell
Little Bit,
“still no food”.
Little Bit,
who’s growing weaker.
Little Bit,
who likes to bug me
at school.
Little Bit,
blown to hell.
Little Bit needs medicine
but I don’ know what kind.
And I don’t know how much.
God!
Where’s the relief truck?
Are they sending supplies?
What day is it?
What year?
The streets are so quiet.
Silent, almost...
As if, grief
naturally muffles.
I want to cry
but nothing comes.
No tears.
No prayers.
No help.
I have to go back.
Back and tell
Little Bit,
“still no food”.
Little Bit,
who’s growing weaker.
Little Bit,
who likes to bug me
at school.
Little Bit,
who will die,
during my
afternoon nap.
Today,
I woke to find…
I had slept through
my sister’s final
farewell.
during my
afternoon nap.
Today,
I woke to find…
I had slept through
my sister’s final
farewell.
