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Black Sunday Played the National Anathema
| Open Poetry #7 |
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Black Sunday Played the National Anathema |
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H. Arlequin Member
since 1999-08-23
Posts 210 |
Black Sunday Played the National Anathema The narrow, rutted lane from Eight Mile Mill to Brannock's store was filled with sweaty teams and snorting Tennesee five gaited riding stock between the knees of gold and gray. The still of Sunday morn gave way to muffled streams of teamsters' salty dialogue with rock and rut, the failing harness strap, their fill of Stonewall Jackson's predawn caisson schemes, and bellies extended beyond the mealtime clock. Across the hills unwary church bells pealed a call to early mass, the bantam crowed, a Holstein lowed and then all hell broke loose. That deadly enfilade, void time to yield, the line caught unaware, tight one lane road flanked left and right, stopped fore and aft, no ruse, for horse or man, they'd found their potter's field. From first shot till the final episode, an hour, and not one life could death refuse. A silence shocked the world. The blue withdrew and left them where they fell, the blood run red of man and steed, of driver and the driven. The bottle fly, the green and black review their table set, entangled limbs, eyes dead set wide, without the chance a soul be shriven. O grieve the slaughtered dead the Southland grew, those bonnie men for cause laid down, their bed the ground, poor payment for the lives they've given. The carnage tenderly removed, enshrined, could they observe hiatus from the grave, its time exact as that which was their last, would shout, "We died in vain!", one voice combined with all those dead from wars, if free or slave, its echo reaching through the distant past. "In vain, all vain!" Great causes undermined the precious gift of life, exchanged the brave for noble war's abhorent holocaust. --Fr Veni di Morte . . . . . Poems from the Goober Tree http://nathoo.wustl.edu/goober_tree.htm [This message has been edited by H. Arlequin (edited 05-07-2000).] |
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H. Arlequin Member
since 1999-08-23
Posts 210 |
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brian madden Member Elite
since 2000-05-06
Posts 4374ireland |
While I do not know the event that you described your words allowed me to stand on the side lines. A truely powerful poem that left me in a stunned silence. |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
HA - This is very well done - You depict the futility of bloodshed eloquently... You put sooooo much into your work - Thanks for sharing it here - It's always a unique and wonderful read when I open one of your poems...  |
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Oh... and furthermore - The title is perfect.. |
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H. Arlequin Member
since 1999-08-23
Posts 210 |
Hi Brian smooooooooooooooooches darling Nan, tx to the both of you for your reading and commenting on this lil couplet.  )))))I really appreciate, excelsior, HA |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
This was a very moving piece H.Arlequin, your vivid descriptions were so very powerful. Well done ... Best wishes, /Kit |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
Superb writing, H.A.! Always an exciting adventure!  Denise |
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