Paul Pfleuger, Jr.


If not for the war, it would be a lovely walk


these new dramatic pictures, you’re looking at what appeared
running along that wooded area scrambling to safety
attacked in this video from above you see a hasty retreat
it’s not just the video, the flanks are crumbling and the front line is falling
with attempts to smooth over the situation somehow in the media space

today, massive explosions, these pictures just after the strike
you see thick black smoke billowing 
over this city that had not been under attack
the missiles we understand, it’s not just an announcement
they’re going, they’re ready, they’re using them
we’re learning of another strike
taking out power to a number of neighborhoods
and what is the latest on the ground where you are?

this evening, we’ve noticed missiles flying
there’s also been heavy fire amid shell-smashed trees
go behind me you can see 
how the ground is drying out, how wet it was before
the battlefield is changing now summer’s coming 
and that’s everything to the counteroffensive
if not for the war, it would be a lovely walk

go, go, go, we have a drone? a drone
a drone above, we’ve got some cover in here
this trench, one of several and a new minefield position
how does it feel to be in the battle now? 
I love it actually, we want to take our territory back
do you think they understand?
they’re going to get killed, all of them
we’re ready for this, it’s our land

as we leave, there are more explosions and then this
run, we don't ask, we just run and keep running
we hear drones, so we're running
getting back in now, more artillery coming 
and that’s where the fight is tonight
that armor that’s busy on the battlefield
and we've seen a lot of it


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Paul Pfleuger, Jr. is from Buffalo, New York and lives in Chiayi, Taiwan. His poetry has appeared in several anthologies and in print and online journals and zines. He is the former co-editor of the R’r journal and is the author of A Zodiac released by Red Moon Press.

 
 

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