The Battle

Quick little poem about mercies of war

The Battle

The woman shrilled
As she ran inside Johnson’s general store
Tumble weed rolled across the road
Two men clad in cowboy garb
Stared at teach other from a distance
Staring
Staring
Staring

And out from over the hills
On both sides of the desert town
And marines
And green berets
All preparing for the war
The war to end all wars

Grenades flying through the air
Bullets escaping out of guns
The tanks brought in destruction
Two cowboys charge at each other
Guns in each hand
Preparing to kill

Land mines explode destroying people
Their houses
And dreams
Both sides lose numbers
And the war continued
Day in and day out

After many suns
Two men left standing
Each barrel staring
Staring down at the other
And the other staring back
Staring
Staring
Staring

With no mercy
In either heart
They now lay dead
In the fair streets
Of Johnsonville

Until someone comes along
And tells their story
They lay on their backs
Staring at the sky
Staring
Staring
Staring