by Rita Lopez
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
A bomb flies out and there is no life left to detect
A pendulum swings
Left, right, left, right
A new born baby is being delivered tonight
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
The troops march out to this bloodshed dressed
A pendulum swings
Left, right, left, right
The child picks up a toy gun as they start to fight
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
Shots fired as bullets penetrate the chest
A pendulum swings
Left, right, left, right
The child is drafted with a single invite
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
A body dropped, another soldier confessed
A pendulum swings
Left, right, left, right
A body was found with the next daylight
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
A soldier falls into a slumber severely depressed
A pendulum swings
Left, right, left, right
A body returned with the next noon flight
A pendulum swings
Right, left, right, left
A soldier hung themself with their final tactical belt
A pendulum stops
Both lives are gone
A battle they fought
But neither of them won
It wasn’t their war
But neither could outrun
Now they are just a memory
While the snake takes another for fun
Leonardo Magazine 