Paul Bell

The Vultures Dance

Timelike and the decaying bodies piled high cease to amuse the vultures now

 

Single shots give the rebels confidence

 

They attack in force

 

Heavy machine gun fire from the west toss bodies into the air like rag dolls

 

Textbook

 

Vultures  tearing at eyes of the dead and dying

 

Bullets to precious for mercy

 

The night brings natures other cleaners

 

Muffled scream heightens the reactions as night vision survey death in technicolour

 

The ponderous wait continues

 

Stroking metal like some sex provoking act

 

Followed only by counting lives little savers, bullets of love

 

The vultures dance impatiently

 

The stroking intensifies

 

Hairs stand erect as movement waves majestically towards its final objective

 

A sudden calm unfolds

 

Nature watches in awe as love is unleashed in her garden for the final time

 

The call to bayonets now takes man down to his lowest form of savagery  

 

Eyes now meet, screaming death the ferocious last act of  men past the point of madness

 

Blood flows as metal slices through skin and bone, swaying death the final frenzy as screams die the day\'s end

 

Men cry as they survey the last atrocity of human barbarity

 

Battle ended, vultures marvel feasting on the final meal

 

Battle-hardened men massacre memories  leaving Celebrations a distant Country as blood-red hands refuse to wash