Those who went before were there,
assembled in their ordered columns.
I remember white and brilliant stones,
the rolling green of grass,
a clear blue sky no longer seen.
And I remember too this sense:
A chair was waiting empty
while a quiet prayer was spoken over dinner.
In an old garage some tools gathered rust.
A folded paper waited to be read.
A face was missing from a night of cards.
The caisson and the bugle and the rifles,
all were brought together for this final call to order.
Then there was the smell of gunpowder and horses,
folded in the sunny wind,
dissolved into a cloudless sky.
The Ultimate Sacrifice
Arlington’s air was thick with death’s pathos,
Grief and pain shared once more in war’s great loss,
The great sacrifice of our nation’s brave,
Fending off tyranny’s harsh tidal Wave.
Horse hooves made a doleful unrhythmic beat,
As the caisson moved slowly and discreet,
Step by step in Arlington’s protocol,
Our flag, the stars and stripes, the casket pall.
Lead us, O Christ, to the vict’ry of peace,
Help us hatred and revenge never seek,
Save us from war from which there is no win,
May Thy grace and love reign supreme within.
Old Glory waves for all who paid the price,
To protect and defend the U S A,
We pay tribute to those who gave their lives,
Taps declare none have given more than they.
Death’s Bouquet
by Odin Roark
Graves give much,
Willing wafted memories ride
The raven’s wind.
Into other air
Where spirits claim dorsal view
Floating beside trumpets jazzed,
While barefoot chil’en
Walkin’ the early talk
Stomp blues drifting skyward
Clinging to cawing beaks
Echoing wisdom’s chorus .
Voices wale discordant grief
Beside caisson rolling through new dust
Atop cobbled history waiting
A preacher’s new launchpad.
Bellowing spirit made to wait
As chilling cloud churns music’s air
Into jasmine colored layering
For a child’s sketchpad of crayon
Skipping across hopscotch chalk
All
Hitchin’ up-drafts
Atop silky black feathers
Passing over death’s bouquet
The fragrant moment moving on
The Funeral Of A Hero
A bugle blows in the distance
Seven gunshots echo
Bouncing off of a thousand trees
A caisson led by dark black horses
Carrying a simple black box draped in a flag
There is no one to say good bye
Except an officer dressed in a formal uniform
He places a silver star on the box
He salutes as the box is lowered into the ground
Just a few yards from a fallen president
He will remain known but not cared about
There will be no one come to mourn
He died defending those he fought with
He died fighting for a country who only knew him as a number
Now he does not have the chance to love
He does not have the chance to play with his son
He needlessly gave his life
All he has left is a white granite stone
His named carved for anyone to see
But the stone it does not say what is important
It does not tell the entire story
It does not say that the young man below was a hero
A hero who died to save others
It just says that he lived and died
That is not enough
I see beyond the crosses
In the snow covered field
Like soldiers in formation
For whom our hearts aren't healed
I see beyond the sacrifice
Of those that gave their life
And with their faith to guide them
Left a husband, child, or wife
I see beyond the caisson
That a single stallion drays
Committing one more hero
Feel the pain their loss conveys
I see beyond the sadness
Carried by the bugles trill
The sense of loss hangs heavy
As if the earth stood still
I see beyond the honor guard
And their shots fired in salute
A tribute to their brother
Who before them now lays mute
I see beyond all these things
With my heart if not my eye
But what I cannot see beyond
Is why they had to die
Written for the "I See Beyond" contest
A silent stillness swaddles the night
A restless wind addled floor doth spite
From rim's spout vaporous cloak descends; prescience to slight
Above melancholy mist, hoot owl resounds with doleful delight
In the distance, a billowy plume rises; darkness to blight
A shrill whistle echoes from wall to wall distilling fright
Chilling requiem announces approach of mechanized spright
Two AM shadow creeps across canyon with stealthy might
In desolate channel, pulsating waves a bleary storm doth ignite
With thunderous chorus, the clanging rails a tremor doth incite
Vibrations reverberating through rocky redoubt; airy palpitations excite
A squeaky tenor underpinned by clamorous bass doth medley recite
Unbridled steel caisson through pristine stone columns doth alight
Slithering snake in undulating pattern over matted groves doth kite
Steaming furnace propelling armored mail on brigand flight
Fortified invader with contraband o'er corrosive terrain doth fight
Day's end, sun's caisson doth wend
Residual rays a respite to append
Twilight's shroud dreary dividend
Swirls of gray into firmament blend
Vestements of light shed sacral veil
Luna's naked, pale orb flashes its spell
Twinkling sprites across dark tides sail
Constellation's mystical portents braille
Nyx, Erebos eclipse Hemera's blithe melody with bass duet
Earth's warmed bed yields its thermal blanket
Ocean tides move in rhythmic tandem to cadence of lunar clarinet
Swarming shadows stalk each footstep paring each dark secret
Greek gods
Nyx: goddess of Night
Erebos: goddess of Darkness
Hemera: goddess of Day