the wounded marionette
it was hard to see the strings
stuffed inside his rucksack
as he rode the train from one town
to the next
all slumped over and needing
a miracle or two
to bring him back to his former self
they stopped the bleeding
back on the battlefield
stitched him up as best they could
sending him on his merry way
cross bar and all
staring out at the countryside
he went in and
out of consciousness
the landscape as desolate as his thoughts
leading him to wonder if the good doctor
would be able to save
his most precious possessions
june two thousand nineteen
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved
jdubqca 