Gnosscius
You and I were lovers before the freeze,
and the making of it occupied our fears.
You needed my therapy,
I wanted you to need.
I didn’t know beyond the jasmine,
where the monkeys dwelled and lizards flew,
far past the grottos and the caves that held the artifacts of our emotions,
there would be a war zone.
I would come to know,
that blue eyes could flash burn to ash,
in the smoking grey seconds of remembering the past,
beyond the lush, green tropics,
in the sweltering heat,
along primevial forests and pristine beaches,
where transparent ocean waters turn blood red,
and you could never stand down.
©dmw
Married [A Marine] In The Haight
memorial day came and went
again this year
shedding little plastic flags
and hot dog bun wrappers
step children dropped
by glum civil servants
some slick d.c. stone
reflected light nicely
your name still not on it
they will never tag a soul
agent orange
budget cuts
hills consume the young
off you went
any second
without notice
you couldn’t help it
good soldier you
hobo brides know
wedding gowns and box cars clash
like alchemy and love
and you hit the park fast
clutch the white port tighter
refuse to share the medicine
i brought bread for the pigeons
you chased the lazy bums away
insisted we honor institutions with lies if necessary
that was the drill and how they honored you
©dmw