rewritten 24/3/97

Blown Away

Blown Away!
limbs separated from self,
Johnny boards the exploding elevator,
pain nailing his nerve ends
   still a private
      yet a trench veteran

he soars upwards

(what’s left of him)

not to heaven

a sticky mess falls to the ground

Johnny wasn’t asked by anyone
superiors, Maker, the enemy
- all to impolite, too impatient
   would you like your life ended?

Dead...at twenty without consent

the greying leaders live on,
bathing Johnny’s corpse in crocodile tears

Johnny is Tranh, Indira, Carlos
   others around the world
who
by treading the mined highways - 
   monuments to world leaders - 
travel to their death or dismemberment

to walk is to die

to err is human 

to mine is not