Arlington, All is Silent
All is silent.
Except for the heavy steps of our boots
Slurping through marsh
For the fifth day
In a row.
All is silent.
Except for the man behind me
Barely able to catch his breath.
Some have even forgotten how to
Breathe.
The noise comes fast.
Unexpectedly a shot rings out.
The ringing won’t stop.
But the breathing’s stopped.
I see nothing but flashes;
Flashes of light. Dark. Red.
I fumble around.
Don’t remember what I’m doing.
Just trying to survive.
All is silent
Back home across the Pacific
They’re quietly eating their kohlrabi and watching
Mickey Mouse reruns.
All is silent
Back home
Like mosquitoes they suck up
The blood
Like it was never there.
Only a small bump remains.
All is silent.
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