there is peace of a kind
in the early sun that wakes a quiet world
and the rolling green oak spotted field before me
crocus carpet patchwork slope that lay here waiting
while I was away in the worst of dreams
with wingless birds that sang their deadly song
and flocked to undo earth and men
there is peace of a kind
in the clear quenching flow of water at my feet
sinuous on its journey
giver of life
master of its course
untouched by the blood of the disappeared
no sickness to be carried away now
there is peace of a kind
in the benevolence of the air
pollen filled drift of warmth
that allows my eyes to smile and close
without wreak and havoc
breath cracked
sounds split and muted
torn with screams of the maddened
there is peace of a kind
but views of my world are skewed and drawn
innocence lost to indifference
this beauty that I see I thought was lost
these tears that fall are for the shame of us
and all that is gone
dust to dust
paulhp poetry 