Death – Page 21 – Iron Haiku

family outings
picnics paid for with the blood
of fallen soldiers
–
small flags-
dates carved
in cold granite

clouds out ash and dust-
the soil of this arid land
affords no purchase
–
orange skies-
rivers of black glass
plunge into the sea

in the line of fire
standing while the others fall
I am bulletproof
–
rising smoke-
the doe startled
bounds away

staring down into
another empty bottle
devoid of answers
–
august sun-
tumbleweeds across
a dry creek

a candle and spoon-
the bare bulb above her head
casts a harsh shadow
–
on the corner-
slowing headlights
catch the rain

dark foreboding clouds
low in the afternoon sky
harbingers of doom
–
soft rain-
broken trees
and power lines

I crawl into bed
too tired to fall asleep
reliving the day
–
a warm breeze-
awake in my bed
paralyzed

nose against the glass
looking through my reflection
at life passing by
–
still water-
echos of
narcissus

pale whispers of men
pass by along the river
rowing in silence
–
walking stick in hand-
my footprints
fading

ringing in the night –
hearing the sound of your voice
I fall to my knees
–
silent crickets-
two marines stand
in my doorway