John

“John”
2/7/08

With a borrowed gun, he killed a man
A humble man of humble means
protects what he works so hard for
Patient in the heat of the moment as with broken cars
He only fires once

A single bullet bringing back memories of a back fire
A ring of black on his face
And on death’s chest

Red hits gold carpet
Like whiskey from a friend’s flask.
He listens for the sound of breath with the same ear
Used to shoulder his wife’s complaints for a better life

He drops the smoking gun
And crises for a stranger he killed
Empathy given, life taken
Dead in his chest like a spent round