Hide and Seek Death

He had survived
Six months had made him a man
Today
He only wanted his mother
Today
The clock was running slow
Slower
Stopping
Hopefully
Begging

Such hopeful beginnings
Such bestial endings
Caked fingers bear blood
Water too precious to remove

Desert sand roughage
Makes worthless dry heaves

Skittering boot prints
Like zig zagging sand pipers
Void of food
Wary of enemies
Make patterns so plain
This hide and seek death dance

Today
Seems right

Months of sand storms and fire
Leave but sun baked flotsam
Mixed bodies of friend and foe
Their survival charge piled high
Making but stumbling of boots
Across rotting bodies and limbs
Even flies and rats now ignore

With fingers blood-welded to weapon
He lay down among the carnage
Eager to know the peace
The quiet
The involuntary resolve
Just for a moment
Or two
Just until the siren-shriek
Of an incoming missile's presence...

Just until it finds him and stops

Not much to ask
Not much
If anyone
Anything
Is listening