In The corn
by Maryann Zoll
In the corn the bodies lay
Row on row, as they had stood,
Among the broken stalks and hissing leaves
That covered them but didn't slow the bullets.
Other men carried them away, of what remained
Moving
them from one earth to another.
The farmer turned his cattle in to eat the stalks
But poured the milk out on
the ground
So as not to feed his children on murderous intent.
War
Had we met on streets of travel
with smiles and hands to
embrace
Words and thoughts exchanged in equal
of friend or brother, of
life to taste
The General's order echo rings
for the King's hand
decrees the law
By drum and fife to gain the field
a faceless enemy to all
I saw
For miles and miles, we run the race
as I beheld their rank
and file
Yet without malice and face to face
I stood and shot him in his place
Chaplain June Fields