An errant crossbow,
An accidental sniper hit,
Friendly fire,
A spray of bullets.
Caught in the cross-fire.
A boy fleeing from age-old enemies in the woods,
Hidden behind his protector-father, the true target
An elderly woman carrying home a heavy load of groceries
Minding her own
A Marine at the wrong place, at the wrong time
A couple ambling down a dark street, wrapped in conversation
Not noting the charge in the night air
Casualties, unintended.
Violent ends. Scripts cut short.
One would think that even death
That great equalizer
Should be replete with meaning,
Pregnant with purpose.
A dignity, honor
Pomp and circumstance
A flourished finish
With tender goodbyes
Not this senseless
Clipped curtailment of
Innocent, caught-in-the-middle lives.
A soulful Southern girl hailing from the heart of Georgia, Farah Bader is currently stationed in Rockville, Maryland. She works at the Fogarty International Center, a branch of the National Institute of Health. Global health program analyst by trade, poetess by design, Farah resides between the two worlds of science and literature.
Photo: Cliff
