Snake in the grass

Snake in the grass    4/11/2017

Words are not enough

And they never will be

That a life can be wasted

In the blink of an eye. 

The good are battered

And the innocent bludgeoned

Even by those they loved

And nurtured. 

They lived

And they died

Across the street

And three houses down. 

A white house

With black shutters

Immaculately kept

Winter, summer, and fall. 

I saw her mow the lawn

And I saw him stain the porch

Tending the flowers

And swimming at the pool. 

Among the first to greet me

When I moved on the street

All those years ago

Over and under

And down the drain. 

The kids played in the snow

Innocent and fragile

Captured in photographs

Frozen in time. 

My life fell apart

And I got divorced

Falling forever

And losing the house. 

It took a long time

But I ended up returning

This time across the pond

In brick and mortar rental.

When I read it

I could hardly believe it
Shaking my head

And rubbing my eyes. 

Evil found them

From one they loved

Long held

And lost to the world.

Falling in and falling out

Many are misguided

Enthralled by chemicals

And casual crime.   

Sleeping with snakes

And forgetting who they were

Returning with hatred

And ghastly violence. 

Let them rest

In your arms

Instantly healed

In perfect peace. 

Free from the confines

And innocent of mistakes

Pardoned forever

In paradise.

But let the guilty suffer

Ten times

What they dealt

Burning and burning

Never to rest

And never at peace.