The Maelstrom of Combat
Hunt and kill missions,
search and destroy—S&D,
sick and disgusting.
If it’s them and dead, it’s VC.
Body counts win wars.
Ask GM-azon.
Euphemistic defense profits for all,
but not the warrior, the solder,
dead and maimed
they suffer, kid-killers—all,
they hate and love battle.
Combat. Killing.
I die. Why?
Look both ways, toward the light and the dark.
Mind the gaps for hints of denial.
It is yours to reason why.
I tried.
George Carlin said
he tried.
I was———
then was not.
I left,
then came back.
Then,
left again.
Later, I went
back again.
More redux
than reborn.
I recommitted.
United
one more time.
I was a long time in,
way over my head.
Finally, slowly,
I surrendered
to what
I’d long resisted.
I’d never
be them.
I didn’t believe
and
never would.
Truth
forced me.
I dissociated
from all things
religious.
Look both ways on the continuum of faith.
Mind the gaps, but when you are done, take your stand.
***
My book of poems is available on Amazon (as paperback, e-book, and/or Kindle Unlimited).
May I Stay?
After the poetry reading
everyone prepared
for their independent absquatulation,
with coffee in their bellies
and books of poems
in their hands.
Handshakes, hugs, and
complimentary laudations
were passed around
like drinks at last call for alcohol.
Those ambivalent moments
when the emotion of wanting to stay
gets trumped by the needs of the day
tell of our human dichotomy.
Back we go into the world
of confusion, confrontation,
and hate. The place we love
too much and too little.
Reading some Reading
might help.
Look both ways but write your poems and read them to the world.
Mind the gaps wherein common sense has flat collapsed.
Note: Peter Reading (27 July 1946 – 17 November 2011) was a strong-willed English poet. His verse is described as “anti-romantic, disenchanted, and usually satirical.” Glad I’m only labeled cantankerous.
My book of poems, “Any Way the Wind Blows” was launched yesterday.
For this weekend, it is available almost world-wide on Amazon at reduced prices.
The soldier whispered
into the radio,
we’re surrounded.
need help, now.
target on my coords.
She heard the shell
coming,
but not the explosion.
Look both ways in combat. Mind the gaps, but war is war.
Take many of them with you when you go.
While I have not officially “launched” my book, Any Way the Wind Blows, it is available on Amazon in paperback or as an e-book. It’s even on Kindle Unlimited.
So, my excuse for not blogging or playing is pretty much gone for now.
As for this post,
Instead of saying perfect
when I tell you my phone number
or I say that I’ve not eaten
anything
since before midnight,
You could say, ideal!
Ya see?
It’s a mental image thingy.
Ideally, true perfection is illusive
while ideal could be any seven numbers
following my area code.
Look both ways and mind the gaps when you choose your words.
With this, I am caught up with my weekend writing. I live in Texas and it’s not yet midnight, thus, technically, still the weekend.
A long time ago
on this very planet
we call Earth, I learnt that
when I’m wrong
the sooner I know it
and admit it,
the better
for everyone.
If I do unintended harm,
I make some amends
(with insurance company guidance).
But for protecting me and mine,
there is no “sorry.”
No “excuse me” for this or that.
I wear my unrepentance like
a soldier wears his weapon.
Look both ways to see both sides.
Mind the gaps and know the land, but don’t get lost in nice.
Mail men: leather bags, caps, big shoes;
they walked onto front porches,
with letters, bills, or draft notices—
seldom junk.
Now she rides fast. Much junk. No letters
or conscription notices.
Forever stamps may be exactly so.
Look both ways and pine for the past.
Amazon may own your soul or make your day.
Mind the gaps as you fondly recall the memory.
(The irony is that the USPS sends us an email each day alerting of the coming snail mail.)
Sin, according to those in the know
can be committed and then lovingly remitted.
All it takes is a paid remittance for which
said sin remission is granted with indulgence.
By paying my way, so it is that they say,
with remittance my guilt is pardoned
all at once, and thusly,
Religious enterprise thrives,
a consequence of my temporal sinful existence.
Religion only if a god, because of
delusional intoxication being like love.
Look both ways because some god needs your money.
Mind the gaps and the go-betweens, who never seem to have enough.
Powerlifting Champions
A thousand people talking loudly
coaches screaming
lifter athletes
grunt and groan.
It’s breathtaking.
Look both ways because sometimes tragedy strikes at the last minute.
Mind the gaps for faulty judgements.
Down Together
Helicopters are big-ass, noisy targets — preferred bullseyes for AKs or rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launchers. They’d get enemy kills and loot from the dead machine with one lucky shot.
To live, we flew high or desperately, dumbass low — at treetop levels or less. Other altitudes made things too easy for them. They heard us coming. We did our best to live and to kill.
Look both ways and be a zigzagging target. It’s hard to hit what’s moving.
Mind the gaps so you know where the shots came from.
The video with this Billy Joel song is six minutes, but it was my inspiration to the prompt word.
Our Literary Journey 