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Poetry is just the evidence of life. If your life is burning well, poetry is just the ash. Leonard Cohen

Monday, July 11, 2011

The Wall

image source
We take our assigned positions
They make a wall
We march through
They shout at us
We walk silently, stoically
Protecting our charges
Getting them safely to the other side
Almost like a game of Red Rover
But we're not children
And no one is laughing
Each side has its uniforms
They-  crosses, placards, leaflets
We-  orange vests
And the women we battle over-
Lost, stunned, exhausted stares
Realizing they've just stepped into
A war zone
There's even a priest
Who dares cross to our side
Offering up hot coffee on an icy winter morning
My first instinct, to reject his offer
But the coffee's warm and the air is cold
I thank him for his kindness
And we share a moment, shivering together and drink
Then retreat
To our positions

9 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ha. how fun is red rover...have not played that in forever...and a warm sip is not bad on a coolday...nice gentle verse...

Jingle said...

moments of life Constitution magic in life.
amazing entry,

Happy Potluck!

JustRex said...

That one took me a moment. Then it was very clear. Very nice.

laurie kolp said...

Great analogy...

Maude Lynn said...

Thank you. All of you.

Anonymous said...

Wonderfully done

Dave King said...

As fir Darev2oo5 there was a blank moment, then dawn broke. Splendid.

Shashidhar Sharma said...

Ahh!!! loved the game and the imagery that brought it back to my memories of childhood... lovely...

Thanks for joining in the Poetry Potluck WK 43 which I am hosting for the first time… hope you have liked it too…. and wish to see you again…

Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/07/whispers-cuckoos-song-and-smell-of-love.html
At Twitter @VerseEveryDay

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed the surprise at the end - we are all human...it is a shame that not everyone can/will recognize this. It is a shame that there have to be walls at all.