Ossuary
We see it
every day:
that temple of bones
forming in the heartland.
Look away.
Hungry
after a lifetime of
taking,
we wash the wound
’til the water runs clear
and feast on the flesh
of those who were in the
wrong place
at the
wrong time.
Daniel Barlekamp is the author of poetry, fiction, and audio drama for adults and young readers. His poems have appeared in Seventh Quarry, Molecule, Synkroniciti, and elsewhere and have been translated into Chinese by Poetry Hall. Originally from New Jersey, Daniel now lives with his wife and son in Massachusetts, where he works in immigration law by day and attends law school by night. Visit him at dgbarlekamp.com.
The Marbled Sigh 