<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
<winter>
war without end but death
<child>
no scars seen but in dad's eyes;
she drinks and can't sleep
</child>
</winter>
</return>
</portent>
</Helsinki>
</escape>
</Leningrad>
</bare>
</war>
Copyright 2015 Charles David Miller All rights reserved
