Blasted Silence

Fireworks?

Thunder?

Just across the Hudson River, what I hear but can not see is artillery.

Guns

Weapons

that ring out

echoing throughout these hills.

And I'm sitting at a monastery

with echinacea and marigolds

with saints and chipmunks and real monks

Odd.

The lilies surround me

orange

yellow

Queen Anne's lace

Big bushes of day lilies

reaching toward the sun

Serene

Calm

Quiet

Birds Chirp

Candles flicker at the Shrine of Saint Anthony

And across the river our nations most prestigious military training facility lies

awake with fiery defense

Defend

Protect

Stay Alert

Be Brave, Be Ready, Be the best you can.

(in complete opposition to my purpose this weekend)

I imagine the 19, 20, 21-year-old boys over there now

Somewhere in those trees

Shooting weaponry

Running, rolling, focusing

Oh, God reconcile us

to you, to each other

For your names sake

West Point

Graymoor

Worlds apart across the river