WAR GAMES

 

Photo by Michael Held on Unsplash

Premonitions plague me, persistently
Shaking, sweating, swearing I seek
To swill out the bad taste in my mind.
Why do I think: “There’s something
In the air?” Something that’s just not there,
Yet is. Some unknown unknown that haunts
My dreams and chases me through fields
Of, fire. Napalm I guess.: American fire
Jelly that flays the skin off children. Pares
Life down to dust. Agent Orange a herbicide,
A defoliant chemical with a tactical use 
To strip bare the edges of humanity. A naked
Girl running for her life, her skin a-flame. 
As if all life were a game, with no shame.... 

🌷(2)

◄ BETRAYAL

The last Romans ►

Comments

Profile image

keith jeffries

Sat 26th Feb 2022 23:20

Occasionally I have dreams where I am taken into conflict situations which I experienced whilst a soldier in the past, although they are less frequent these days. When I wake I am depressed and irritable and make a determined effort to eradicate such memories. For some these memories have a more intense effect which leaves a mental scar that never heals (PTSD). Your poem brought this to mind. War is futile. Utterly incomprehensible.
Thank you for this
Keith

If you wish to post a comment you must login.

This site uses only functional cookies that are essential to the operation of the site. We do not use cookies related to advertising or tracking. By continuing to browse, you are agreeing to our use of cookies.

Find out more Hide this message