Waterloo

the wind blows beside my garments,
it brings along the rotten decay smell of death
the rotten shattered dreams and hopes; depressed i am, even in misery

the mood is bitter sweet for some
far off are they, drinking and laughing and chanting

but for me, riding on horseback
surrounding the once loved village
now war torn, for what?

imprints of earth are mixed with blood
soft delicate, the life ending calls of the dying
as the wind echoes their call
not yet completely depleted of life

the banging of the drums in the distance
can still be heard from the island
the sounds of bagpipes and distant cheering

so soon the fighting stopped
but they died
so many died
so many, left behind

the blasts of death encircle my palette of vision
body parts detached from all ends
the earth is burnt with fire power, explosions
and lost hope

who knows how many will actually die
who knows how many are actually dead
who knows who’ll clean the land
who knows who’ll bury the dead
wh knows if so many retired souls may enter
eternity at the very same moment
or is there one at all?
As i ride on horseback
the gloomy images in the distances
the sky looks with pity on the lost lives

the air brushes with the grass
as it gently weeps
a final farewell

the field is still warm from its battle
body after dead suffering body
bodies drenched with blood
bodies partly alive, partly missing, what did it matter?
they all soon will be depleted of their soul
is this how one’s life ends?
with the anger of two nations tearing them apart?
is this why the human was made?
only to drift off to the blackness of unknown once more?

the hacking cough of an old man disturbs my peace
he loots the dead bodies, if not of their possessions
of what pride they have left in the human world
the moon’s glow encircles his greed
and shines down upon,
poor ladies looking for their husbands who did not return
monks and priests giving last rites to those still alive
and on me, and the horrible thing I had witnessed today

a man may tell stories of honor and glory
but i had my last battle
i defeated my last enemy
as i defeated myself
good nor bad
enemy nor ally
i may have won my last battle
but when it’s my turn to die
will i see their fate as well?

Wednesday, November 27, 2002