by David Radavich
That is not a flag
hiding a corpse.
That is not a man
who failed to live out
his span.
That is not
a war
but a performance
of return.
The family, the public
need not witness
the arrival.
The plane disgorges
like a giant fish.
The box is carried out
by uniforms.
Trumpets help
to silence the sun.
This is not
a poem about war.
You do not
hear any grief.
You do not read
any shame.
David Radavich's poetry publications include Slain Species (Court Poetry Press, London), By the Way (Buttonwood Press, 1998), and Great Hits (Pudding House Press, 2000), as well as individual poems in anthologies and magazines. His plays have been performed across the U.S. and abroad, including five Off-Off-Broadway productions. He also enjoys writing essays on poetry, drama, and contemporary issues. His latest book is America Bound: An Epic for Our Time (Plain View Press, 2007).