<war>

<war>

 when crows find it simple

 to tell the truth

 <\anytime>

 <\thistime>

 <bare>

  stripped to a face

  with no skin,

  no room for fire -

  thing like a rag

  doused with gas

  and burning tire

  <time/>

   1943

   <Leningrad>

   <olga\>

    the camp whore

    tripped in an open

    pot of hot oil

    and survived

    <escape>             

     he swam thru

     sewer shit to crawl 

     beyond the wire -

     we caught him picking

     pant legs from the barbs:

     blood sprinkled

     white dancing shoes

     when captain shot him

     <Helsinki>

      <portent>

       mountain ash berries

       red as blood

       smelled like carrion,

       lasting a lifetime

       <return>

        back home, he broke

        his wife's arm, made

        get rich quick schemes,

        and terrified the children

       </return>

      </portent>

     </Helsinki>

    </escape>

   </Leningrad>

  </bare>

 </war>

Copyright 2015 Charles David Miller All rights reserved