children with toy guns
chase hours
into premature manhood

from cathedral ceilings
bricks roll down
at irregular intervals

a skeleton of towers
grins through gaps
in stained glass windows
raindrops fall
raindrops fall
raindrops fall
on tin soldiers

in the lead of dawn
mummed mothers
search for herbs
under cold ash

© Aprilia Zank, Ph.D.

View guest contributor Aprilia Zank’s bio HERE