We stood talking as the steaks cooked

You said I had the longest eyelashes you'd ever seen

And you were going to write your wife and tell her about me

You hoped one day I could meet the wonderful woman who stole your heart

It was a party, after all

A time to forget the harsh realities of war

And remember the good things waiting for us

Back in the World

The steaks were done and I was invited to sit at the Colonel's table

We would talk more after dinner

When I heard the three thumps

I looked at the Colonel still enjoying his steak

And knew my ears must have simply mistaken the sounds for incoming

This was, after all, a Divarty Party

and the Colonel knew his men

must man the guns if we were under attack

_____________

But as the next rounds began exploding in the middle of the party

I looked questioningly at the Colonel as he disappeared into the distance

I knew not the location of the bunker

and was well aware that the men

were running not to the bunker

but to the guns

So I looked around hoping to spot you

long enough to ask where I should go

and was relieved to see you still there

You looked at me

yelled something and pointed

But as I started to ask you to repeat what you yelled

you disintegrated in a flash of light

and a splash of red

The horror froze me as I stared at the

scattered red fragments that were once you

and a guilt gripped my soul that has forever blocked

the memory of how I finally got to the bunker

_____________

The next thing I remember is

standing dazed in the bunker

when a boy came up and handed me

the tail fin from a mortar

 "This one almost killed you," he said

"So I thought you ought to have it."

I've kept that tail fin all these years,

but I would rather have met your wife.

emily strange

©1988