flinch [2010]

(it was unto them     in universal acknowledgement
                    through the standing blinds
                                        across the sheets
                                                            over the desk

and up onto the wall)

8 eyes witnessed it     a stiff marvel no doubt

aside the outgoing mail

  was it striking?  no     more stricken
                                was it great?    almost     though somewhat abstruse
                                was it heavy? something closer to improbable
                                was it right?    well...

bearing it was almost too much

for the jaws

smiling was certainly out of the question

and the children were never able to incorporate it

into their funerary game play

did they not later obtain it

surreptitiously

that is to say     by means of stealth

as nations of them slept?

we should now stand clear

in remembrance of it     or out of respect

and sing laments     hum dirges

we'll drape a flag of it 

over the casket of a ditch digger

and declare unity

until a flinch tomorrow

                                                                       wrests us divisible

I believe they did!

quite sneaky     weren't they

with their bayonets

and zealous slippers?