Laura Purdie Salas

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You are here: Home / Poems for Teachers / Poetry Friday: Wounded (an original villanelle)

Poetry Friday: Wounded (an original villanelle)

December 11, 2009 By Laura

Last Friday, a group of seven of us, led by Liz Garton Scanlon of Liz in Ink, posted original villanelles.

I had wanted to do something other than a nature poem, because those feel like home, and I wanted to push myself out of the comforts of home. So I tried a war poem, written from a WWII veteran’s point of view. I haven’t glanced at it since I wrote it Thanksgiving week, so we’ll see how it looks.

Wounded

 

Thanksgiving for my truth of yesterday?

for battling a stark, concrete regime?

But friends and hope both died along the way.

In war, my days were clear so far away.

My squad, my unit, one unbroken team:

thanksgiving for my truth of yesterday.

A bed, three meals, and comrades in the fray?

when going home was nothing but a dream?

But friends and hope both died along the way.

I played both roles, both predator and prey.

I see myself in memory’s stark white beam.

Thanksgiving for my truth of yesterday.

Now nothing keeps the nightmare sounds at bay:

the chopper blades, the gunfire, and the scream,

as friends and hope both died along the way.

My unseen wounds descend into decay.

I have no sense of any larger scheme.

Thanksgiving for my truth of yesterday,

but friends and hope both died along the way.


—Laura Purdie Salas, all rights reserved

Diane at Random Noodling has the Poetry Friday roundup today. Don’t miss it!

Tagged With: Laura's poems, Poetry Friday, teen/adult poems, villanelle

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Related

« Poetry Friday: The Villanelle People
Quotation Motivation: Glittering Eyes »

MAY NEWS

All 3 of my 2023 books are out now! Thank you to everyone who's celebrated with me, shared the books, or read/reviewed them. <3

Right now, I'm recovering from National Poetry Month! I'm also working on 2 tricky picture book revisions, and I'm preparing for a bunch of speaking events and storytimes! Join Yvonne Pearson and I for two loon-themed outdoor storytimes on June 6 and August 1. And on July 14, I'll be storying up a storm at Robert Trail Library! Hope to see you there!

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