Another Day More

Fiery, fiery, likened the charge,
four hoof-beats will change the size of the man.

The circle will shrink, but the ring enlarge,
enclosing a score on Custer’s last stand.

Solo each kill that builds into clusters;
all fallen the men, the army of Custer’s.

Violence will grow with personal skill—
and Custer had four years experience.

Man, for the Sioux, was a slow learned kill,
as experience gives way to impertinence.

A novelty strike will not even the score,
so much for unfortunate boons in a war.

Dangling and stranding, each round was demanding;
hope now lessened the ending to war.

Short lived the skirmish, each life so depending
on living, extending another day more.

No Bluecoat left standing, so goes the ending;
none will be living another day more.

But who was attacking and who was defending?
Two sides attending vicissitude war.

If luck be a lady her fate falls upon,
depends on which side the Lady is on.

Fiery, fiery, the blood and the gore
all flow into vicissitudes of war.

Impertinence shall tend where experience should win,
But all bets are off in this war.

©2011, Marvin Welborn
Revised 3 July 2014.
Original Publication: Union Station and Paradigm Shift; Xlibris, March 2012.

Comments

“four hoofbeats change the size of a man” is such a wonderful description for this kind of battle. Hard to imagine the horror (though you do make it vivid.)

What a romp of word play and rhythm! Master word weaver you! Heavy write, yet reads easy, with smart rhyme and near flawless flow. Thank you for posting…so enjoyed the write!

it’s true that all bets are off in war. i mean, if they weren’t then both sides would win, right??

very nice tink…this has a marvelous flow to it and a great rhyme scheme…you capture the sense of war and more in your descriptions and word play…custer did not end well just saying…

an interesting tale you weave here… in war or peace, i like these lines:

” If luck be a lady that her fate falls upon,

all depends on the side that you’re on.”

The use of ‘impertinence’ here is an interesting choice. I liked many lines, but esp, “Man, for the Sioux, was a slow learned kill..” giving a sense of another time very clearly, also the play between defending/depending–very satisfying on th ear and the mind. Enjoyed your omniscient view–and glad you contributed.

tinkwelborn

October 23, 2011 6:06 am

thanks hedgewitch. ‘impertinence’ because, altho Custer was skilled in the ‘art’ of war, he was too impertinent.
for the Sioux, they had to learn how to fight the Bluecoats, differently…the European Man was different.
I am glad you enjoyed it, makes me all the more pleased about it.
Reply

This is really strong: “Fiery, fiery, the blood and the gore all flow to the vicissitudes of war.” I think you often doubt your poetic voice, but it’s clear here. Sometimes you need to throw it all on the fire and let it burn.

Shawn

love the pace, rhymes and sound of this marvin…takes me right to the battlefield…powerful!

An impressive poem about a tragic time in our history. I loved the rhyming as well! Omniscient is fine. Perhaps sometime try writing this history from the point of view of Custer to see what happens.

A page from history. They met their match, Custer and Chief Sitting Bull. I like ‘Fiery, fiery, the blood and the gore, all flow to the vicissitudes of war’ It aptly applies. The is no real winners in a war as both sides have to take casualties not just the spoils of war. Great verse!

Hank

I really enjoyed this!

This piece of history highlighted in a song – rhythm and rhyme neat and yet the lines Hedgewitch sites stand out bringing the action into strong relief. Well done.