The End and Lost Words

By Nicholas Lopez

The End

Last day and a sandstorm blows in.
It carries the bones and spilt blood of killing,
From ancient Sumerian battles,
And now us, their descendants.
Mothers' tears fall from the sky again,
Painting the desert in red muddy sorrow.
The C-130 lands that night after the storm,
Our destined replacements finally arrive.
We board the aircraft for home.
A part of us left behind, swept away,
In the storm of war evermore. 

Lost Words

Home from deserts of the Middle East
And the war with no end
He now resides on suburban street
Small town USA zip unknown

Warped white picket fence
Gate left open to the unkempt yard
Hope for the return of a wife long gone
The Curtains drawn to hide
Forgotten dreams of children’s laughter
The lights dimmed so the residents may live
Within the shadows of grim

Six thousand miles from the combat zone
He lays in bed till the afternoon
Prisoner of war in his own home
Only words he now knows
Name, rank, serial number and date of birth
The rest spoken in his mother’s voice
Her life now committed to find
Lost words for him

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Nick Lopez USMC veteran, is currently the Youth Programs Coordinator at the VFW National Headquarters, and is Director of the Kansas City Veterans Writing Team, who sponsor and host writing workshops for veterans. His poems have been in "Veteran's Voices" and "Haiku Journal", and his essay "I am a Coconut" won Johnson County Public Library "Imagine Your Story" contest. His painting "The End" is currently part of The Whole Person's 10th annual Expressions Art Exhibit.