Wednesday, April 17, 2013

NaPoWriMo 2013, Day #17 - the hills

This is something from my military days.








the hills


we hate those hills don't we?
coated by an armour of lallang,
the mimosa like barbed wires.

in our foxholes, smelling of earth
we are hoping there is no rain
at least for this night.

a lighter flares, a cigarette glows
red in the next hole
a click of a safety catch,

a muffled cough,
then we settle down
for the night

the stars above
have come out to watch,
peeping from a veil
of moth-eaten clouds,
the twinkling lights
of apartment blocks
down slope.
we can only imagine
people sleeping,
reading the papers,
watching tv with a beer,

home & safe

while we are here
cradling weapons,
thinking of home too

but mostly
of sleep



17/04/2013
**********




Notes: I wanted to write about the events at Boston, but I can't.

© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2013

2 comments:

Ravenblack said...

Good one. I always enjoyed your army-days poems. They are so honest and true.

As for the events in Boston, I often it hard to write on devastating or tragic events immediately after they happen. Too many strong feelings getting in the way. Anyway, thank goodness the guy has been caught.

dsnake1 said...

thanks, Liz!

that was a long time ago. we were on training and right below us down the hill was this new estate.

you are right about the strong feelings after a tragic event. it's hard to imagine what drove those guys to do the deed.