Painting by John Wehrie
Painting by Pablo PicassoFerns and creepers rustled softly
as the jungle’s breath
gently tousled the hair
of the hanging man,
witnessed in silence below
in a muddy foxhole
by a silent soldier peering
over the tufted lip
into painful moonlight
at another man on a cross
naked.
The crucified one hung
in wordless agony,
seeking egress down
a road of sorrow
in the province of pain,
a blood rainbow shining
behind his wounds;
sunset orange, salsa yellow,
and red flames, all twisted
into an undulating dancing fury.
Thick rusty spikes had pierced
each hand, and the flesh had
split open like a gash in a gourd;
another spike was driven through
his left knee as his right leg dangled
like a broken mast kissed by lightning.
He would not let loose of life
even though it raced ahead
of him in the steamy canopy.
The soldier had watched
for more than a day, but dared
not cross the killing ground
between them, fifty lethal yards
of chopped elephant grass,
thistles, sunflowers, and mud--
until he could watch no longer,
and sliced open the stillness
with the crack of gunfire,
and the clink of cartridges hitting
the ground as his M-16 spoke,
“Go home, brother, your mother is weeping,”
punctuating the message
with searing words of lead--
leaving the soldier trembling
with the miracle of liberation,
witnessing the last flicker of pain
rushing from the other;
one long shiver, one exhalation,
and then freedom; sanctuary.
The soldier heard the wailing,
the crescendo of death on the wing,
but did not recognize his own screaming
as his tears created a clean spot
down the dirt on his cheeks,
as he heard the blood birds shriek,
and the night become full
of their flapping.
Glenn Buttkus October 7, 2010
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7 comments:
damn man...ugh you paint it all so real in your words...the words of the M16 will haunt me as much as the imagery...nicely done man and it def made me look at that pic in a new way...
Wow, I can feel myself there in the jungle next to that soldier...this is so vivid, so powerful. Great job capturing the horrors of war. An amazing write.
Intense and full of horrific images. There is nothing good to be said about war. It is all awful.
Very powerful write. Vivid, and real.
but did not recognize his own screaming...sums up the goosebumps on my arms rights now...chilling take on the prompt Sir...one that will linger long!
Oh my gosh...this is so, so powerful and tragic, as war is. What an inspired place to take this photo, Glenn.
So relevant to our troubled times. Powerful and conveyed in an authentic voice.
Artistry throughout as you pulled in all the aspects of war and its antipathies. The time bridge with the modern warfare set against the crucified man and the implied symbolism is powerful. Every emotion brilliantly yet subtly portrayed in every line. Excellent.
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