war

August 13, 2014

last night

I could have written

a fine poem

but I didn’t

instead,

I called the dogs

away from the porch

and we walked

into the last, long

shadows

of early evening

through

late summer rye grass

along

the end rows,

of a corn field

that flanks

the Missouri River

and

we passed,

the railway siding

where a half dozen cars

sit rusting, emblazoned with

rail logo like: CARGO

like: CN…

and: SOUTHERN

big old seventy ton

goliaths,

they wait like

forlorn old derelicts

abandoned steel horses

from a long ago war

waiting…

determined and alone

for a ride – a hookup

for the run down

to the yard

in Kansas City

or Topeka

 

so we go on

the three of us

me, KD, and Goliath

up a hill,

then along

the gravel path

that leads to

Union cemetery

where

they buried

a soldier

three weeks ago today

…we see the small flags

that are planted

in the earth

marking the grave

no headstone yet…

…it’s too early

but there is time

plenty of time

and

it’s quiet here…

… and it will be

for the next

ten millennium

and for another

ten millennium after that

so

we take the stillness

seriously…

…me and the dogs

and we walk home

taking a direct route.