Hell was breaking loose all around him. Rockets incoming just left the beer tent drinking warm beer with Suzy, singing old country, and crying in his beer. Tears run like home diving for an empty bunker. Bar tender closing down for the night pushes him out the door. Hellcat left in the distance. Work in the morning run a brake from here see the hell of dying in a field with white crosses marking lives in neat little rows. Cop puts his arm around him, helps him home. Sees his son in this boys eyes, a coffin flag draped, this one walks.
Window is closed and the night screams in pain broken dreams swollen in blood-rivered rain. Who in the bar, is burnt deep in pity? Many left cry - back in a dead city.
She slaps his face nothing but a drunk not a pot to piss in Nor a window to throw it of, why I married you
Car leaves leading a trail of broken dreams left there Lovers in night dressed with swagger dance like care Bridges left in letters placed by a wall cold and dead Words wished they were never written let a lone said
Says she is sorry as his hand places new hole in wall Fear seen in the eyes of a new boy friend as his ass falls
You can't do that as the newest hits the door headfirst You don't own me anymore boy pulls a knife hits the floor Pride in courage found in the drink the cut barely bleeding Just a boy no face just another one in the list crying
Cops says come on son you can't be here any more To the car he is taken a ride to the VA hospital door
Thirty years gone some never come home some just forget In the valley of the dead a few tastes the life again blood let Society gives hope a new life in the world still waiting for him Better now power in face dressed for the success given in Jim Beam
He rocks the baby mommy addicted to coke the child cries in pain Sings the old country songs sooths the withering body bane
In the street a new man tries to steal his wallet dies at old hands Can't sleep world has nothing left to hold onto like burning sand Little left as the night swallows up the old and new person tried What ever was left of this person in a shell lived has finally died
Greetings your friends and neighbors have picked you to fight their battles for them. Picked you to be a killer elite. Stand tall kill them one and all. Hell is cold and the beer is warm. Nobody cries they all just die a little at a time. Body and mind splattered across the front page.
story travels far and deep
around every corner city country suburbs
all walks of life there shadows left on doorways
bedroom covers out back basketball rims and kitchen aprons
return to shadows to big to stand in
VA hospitals full overworked underpaid
and as you said, "can't sleep the world has nothing left to holdon to like burning sand"
Mary Angela Nangini's poems celebrate the richness of life and love. From the city to cottage-country and the roads in between, Nangini explores the changing seasons of her varied region. (This book will soon be reprinted in hard cover.)
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around every corner city country suburbs
all walks of life there shadows left on doorways
bedroom covers out back basketball rims and kitchen aprons
return to shadows to big to stand in
VA hospitals full overworked underpaid
and as you said, "can't sleep the world has nothing left to holdon to like burning sand"
haunting but far too real
Love Tinka