War Poem

written by a character in my novel - A Place in the Sky

THE LOVELY RED GAMES

The ghastly red games
the spatters of blood - like measles all over my face
the huddling together of cold human crud each in an unhuman place
The melody screams an anthem to death. A nightbird floats in the skies
in darkness the black-hog hovers above - - - on petrified wings it still flies.
Efficient deliverance of anguish and pain - the tracers point out who will die
The screech and the roar, the yells we ignore, tonight it could be you or I
The reek and the stench of hot burning flesh

the death and the torture of fear
the reach out to touch

the nothing to feel

the blood and the sweat and the tears
The calling to arms

we know who we are

we’re numbers just numbers not names
and the ones who control our body and soul

play their wonderful

lovely

red games

© RC Westerholm