Sleep Now

sleep now, your blood moving in the quiet wind

no longer afraid for the others

hurrying through the tall grass

or the faces laughing on the beach, sleep now

you do not hear the dry wind pray

or the children play a game called soldiers



sleep now, alone in the sleeves of grief

listening to clothes falling

and your flesh touching god

to the chatter and backslapping of christ meeting the heroes of war

sleep now, you do not hear the dry wind pray

or the children play a game called soldiers



sleep now, your words have passed the lights shining from the east

and the sound of flak raping graves and emptying the seasons

sleep now, sleep now

you do not hear the dry wind pray

or the children play a game called soldiers