PATROL

“goddam hot”
“stinkin sweaty”
“can’t see!”
“shut up dammitt!”
“what’s that?”
“shhhhhhhhhhhh”
“I don’t like it”

“look around”
“easy now!”
“it’s too DAMN quiet!”
“Christ, I’m tired”
“wait”
“WatchIT!… downnnn!”
“DDOWWWWWWWWWNN!”
“DAMN!”
“DAMNNN!”A heavy helmet
walk
through
the triple canopy
never quiet
except before
death

Sunlight flickers
like raindrops
from the leaves.
Soft warble tones
mark each step
toward contact
that comes quickly
crracckk… crracccccckk
crracckk

Another day in the “Nam”