Iraq Desert by Unknown Photographer
(Originally posted January 2013)
It lay there
One edge imbedded
At crooked cant
In much disturbed sand
Half a yard from the road
Half a world from its home
Who knows for how long
Deceptively mottled
Rendered indistinct
From its grim dun surround
Of gritty ground and
Shapeless mounds
Apt detritus
One more lifeless feature
Of a barren baked landscape
That’s never known peace
This artifact of war
Not really belonging
Yet not out of place
Whose was the head
It last endowed armor
The head whose sweat swelled
And stained its sewn webbing
What judgments of duty
Enjoined its young wearer
Were they frenzied and frightened
Or steadfast and stoic
With chinstrap pulled taut
And goggles sharp set
For the myriad threats
Of jihad in the desert
What convictions conjoined
Love of life, fear of death
In this overly hot
Kevlar carapace
Right up to the moments
Before being pitched
From victory’s path
Where is the soldier
Who left it behind
Careless or killed
Or just maybe both
That uncertain status
A mirror, an echo
Presaging how history
May gauge the outcome
Will Augustine’s test
Validate bellum iustum
Will triumph be touted
As nobly complete
Or will failure by way of
Abortion of mission
Haunt and harrow the marrow
In the bones of the brave
This drab mundane piece
Of muted regalia
Now lost of purpose, just waits
I bent to retrieve it
Thought better, then stopped
And so let it be
This artifact of war
Not really belonging
Yet not out of place
It’s no souvenir
What is poignant is that your poem could apply to any of the wars that were supposed to be the end of all wars! My grandfather was killed November 2nd 1918 when my mother was a year old – my father thankfully survived world war two serving in RN. We were lucky, millions were not.
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amen – I too come from a family who served
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A brave family, sorry about your grandfather though.
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So many families have the same story…that is life… thanks and have a good week.
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A story I wish never exist. Sad. May they be strengthened by God. Have a great week too.
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Cannot put it better than the lady above – all I can add for the sake of history is that when tracking back my family tree I found a relative who died on the 11/11/1918 – how bad can one person’s luck get!
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the date of armistice? – poor chap
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Reblogged this on Poesy plus Polemics.
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Reblogged this on OUR POETRY CORNER.
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thank you for sharing my poem with your readers
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The poignancy is not wasted on those of us with parents and grandparents who served. It is eloquently put my friend and I was pleased that you chose for the narrator/subject to leave the helmet where it lay. It speaks volumes by the side of the road, as you show. Taken from there it would have been merely a trinket. 🙂
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I’m glad it worked for you, jo
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I saw other points of view to consider, but I disagree, it worked perfectly, saying exactly what you wanted to say I believe ☺
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I love the rumble of your thunder, Paul F. Lenzi, the irresistibility of your headlong prose, powerful as a river, and your masterful use of difficult vocabulary, but I think you could’ve packed a greater punch with your ending, “I bent to retrieve it” is arresting, amazing, and personalizes powerfully your poem, for me a poetic triumph, a turn towards an introspective, would-be wise, outcome, but your conclusion falls flat, it is pedestrian, and I think you know it, I think it’s worth giving it another try – cheers, Richard
psst: I wouldn’t even comment if I didn’t think you were worth it, Paul F. Lenzi, I hope you’d don’t take offence
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sorry you didn’t care for the ending, rich, but I do like it the way it is – thanks anyway
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Gripping! Stirred me to the depths!
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deeply appreciate that
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Thought provoking . Beautiful
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I’m pleased to know that it worked for you
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Wow Paul. So powerful. Loved this.
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many thanks
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So sad but beautifully told. ❤
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Thank you for sharing this, it’s an amazing piece. I really do love what you do with the imagery here, the barren landscape, the weathered helmet. You get quite a lot out of “nothing,” and it is seriously remarkable. Excellent piece!
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I deeply appreciate your thoughtful comments
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Incredibly moving, powerful and poignant. My Sicilian grandfather served also but made it home, though injured for life.
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so many wars – so many casualties
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This is one of the poems I need your permission to publish, Paul. The other is untitled in the collaboration, but is second in the collaboration. Please let me know.
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you have my permission to publish both – that other one is “Irony of Peace”
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Cool, thanks, Paul. I’ll put the title in my notes. I appreciate you.
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