Kenneth Karrer’s poem White Wedding appeared here in February. This is a very different poem from that. They are both pretty awesome though.
In Flanders Fields Revisited
By Kenneth Karrer
A picnic held at Flanders
Turned tragic.
The magic of another age
emerged
Borne in earth’s green womb
to term.
It presented head first.
Little hands helped …
Heaps of dirt removed.
A small tin shovel pressed into service
to hurry the delivery.
And then the taps–
in just the wrong damned place …
an afterbirth released
in yellow clouds
Swept away to an eternal sleep
these children.
To a place where they discuss,
with deacons of demise
the secrets of another ghastly generation
asleep
in
Flanders Fields.
Sad but true. Nicely done.
Very powerful.