the orphan parade
we knew the woods as well
as any wild animal
and they knew us
just the same
we tended to keep
to the minor trails
rifle & canteen strapped
on either shoulder
we were not at war
but a silent opposition
seemed to be surveilling
our movements
over time we learned
to scramble our signals
traversing in groups of three
or two or one
intercepted messages
labeled us as
the orphan parade
guardians of the trees
day by day we evolved
our mission never changing
constant orders from above
by way of telepathy
april two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
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