flag draped casket
three volleys fill the air
with sparrows

 

 

(originally published in cattails, April 2014)

8 Responses

  1. imogen288 Says:

    Poppies stiff with blood,
    their papery skirts frozen
    into emblems of loss.

  2. Matt Says:

    Very nice!

  3. Julie Warther Says:

    Nice, Joe! Strong sensory images. Sight, sound, and sorrow. And the motion of the sparrows leaving is powerful without sentimentality.

  4. jeff hoagland Says:

    Wow Joe – startling imagery! VERY well done.

  5. Joe McKeon Says:

    Thank you all very much!!!

  6. Alan Summers Says:

    .
    flag draped casket
    three volleys fill the air
    with sparrows

    —JOE MCKEON
    (originally published in cattails, April 2014)

    Fine work, and so often we see birds spring up at gunshots, and so there are links to the battlefield where birds too must have been frightened, and trying not to get killed.

    Lots of layers to this to reward deeper reading.

    warm regards,

    Alan

  7. Gisele LeBlanc Says:

    The sensory images deliver with a jolt. Very nice.

  8. seaviewwarrenpoint Says:

    Great use of sound and vision in this one, Joe.

    marion

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