Ladies of Whim: Heavy Hearts

The pities of morning papers
centuries full
of deaths and their survivors.

Starlight sea, titanic stone sunset
submarines pick
perfect days, soldiers to pacifists.

Tired horses left at lighthouses
northward nights
morning mules onto new roads.

No more bluebirds along the path
dulled crowns
just long steps left before Canada.

Their first war Christmas repasts
tattered Catechisms
harsh lights, woven purple thread.

Entwined brethren eavesdropped
forest creeds
mothering years of mud and mist.

Folk undone by marching feet
northern woods
long soaking mountain storms.

Have we not seen wars’ children
bloody roads
their graves fodder gone beyond.

Only yellow warblers will wing
wild moments
when next millennium arrives.

We sing America the Beautiful
above the battle
as around the sun Apollo laughs.

. . . . .

Source: Massachusetts Women Poets:
Selected titles by Katherine Lee Bates
Process: Pick-mix cento triads