General
The monarch butterfly staggers
in front of you light stumbles
on the mauve heather and song you
hear pacifies
suddenly the statue of the general
parked on solid earth unlike
his image in clouds
sweats glory while his subtle smile
bleeds
forgotten soldiers haunting
cenotaph earth his arms
wide as to embrace
all heartsick and hovel-less souls
and his legs straddle the pedestal
poised to announce war is over
wars should be declared obsolete
Manolis Aligizakis 