D.B. Cox on the Other Side of the
BackPage 68
Another troubled night falls.
The triple-canopy darkness
closes around me, like a body bag
being zipped slowly shut.
In the titanic darkness,
the jungle breathes, like a living thing,
& I sense the ghostly company
of things that roam late.
From the corner of my eye,
I catch glimpses of shifting shadows
that freeze in place whenever
I turn my head to stare.
Five months in-country, & still uneasy
with the weight of the rifle in my hands.
Still looking back toward old rules
that no longer hold, & old order
that has spilled over into chaos.
A strange storm, just before sundown,
seemed to bring some ancient evil
from the highlands. How long can my
angels shield me from the fangs
of this forever-hungry beast?
A trickle of sweat, finds a trail
down the center of my back.
My dexedrine-charged heart slams,
like a ten pound hammer, against my chest,
intruding upon the heavy silence.
How much more mad input,
before this heart is stopped
for good?
How many more
blinding-white days,
& bullet-torn nights
until I reach
the cold understanding
that the best part of me
already lies twisted & rotting
in the dense, tangled green.
© Copyright D.B. Cox 2004