I think that when you see me smile
You’ll wonder why you killed me
I suspect that
You shall feel guilty
If not for a short moment,
American!
Staring at my photograph
You stole from the satchel heart.

I hope that you can pronounce my name correctly
We have pride too you know,
a thought for western eyes too smart.

From my height I see khaki knees
and rifle limp m16
From your victory
You felled me.

on weapon hold casually
sway
a chewing gum gift
to the bubbled oil you pray.
as this moment bleeds a rivers time
It holds a depleting breath
yet more desperate go the clinging
for the child I leave bereft.

so here is me the bearded man
my doubting benefit of hope
I feel for a second,  you may prod me
I felt your action unsure the slipping rope
the wicker basket lid, snake charmed on barrel
smoke another point to score
comrade tapped upon shoulder
And asked marine
“are there any more? “
“scum!”, I think it ,you lay me down to die
you say it...we all it...scum
 “how you Yankee say?…..slang?”

I am not a soldier!
I fight for my family
I ask only to be free
make mistakes of my own
All well and good
Until body parts
Blown

away

Your engagement in sandy land
Never suited or shown
And standard issue
Booted

I shall join you for tea shortly
rooted spot
-we pour it well from silver cups
going nowhere now
Just as soon as I sew my legs back on-
help
stem my lifeblood’s flow
a puddle around me, form the cuts
you know
soil and sand dont mix so well.

I tried to distract myself
With bizarre thoughts of art
to take away the pain
to distract from the fact I was dying
i imagined flatbread fingers prying
coals of a pheonix heart.

I can just hear the hammering of the remaining 47s’
-I wish my fellow fighters well
and I imagined this sound,
to be like your woodpeckers,
Happily tapping home, peace
Oblivious to the outside world
Wrapped up
In a western glade
Something as special as this,
yet East.
like my tigris memories of childhood

A peaceful thought upon which to close my eyes