tear free a hole
in the sky
pour out your blood
in the sand

on the beach,
the souls of men
stepped aside–
hiding amongst 
the torn bodies

bruised and bandaged
splinted and tourniqueted
walkers and riders–

come one, come all

war changes a man

never again, a boy–
an innocent

fear fills the void
where hope
once lived

friends arrive
together
but depart
in different
ways

fuck words
fuck poetry
it is the grit
and grime
of blood,
of bone,
gun oil,
and brains–
laid out like
a blood offering
for a hateful
god–
that is what is real

fuck your stories
your anniversary remembrances

the truth was laid bare
for a small moment
on a beach in France
and it ain’t pretty

no way, no how

the truth reflected back
at the few left living
from the bulging eyes
of the recently dead.