Guess - edit

[dukealien]

Guess


Mississippi Veterans' Cemetery
seen from rushing Interstate:
low off-white wall, green swale around
one flagpole (guess which flag).

On either side
fenced away black cattle lay
heads turned by interstate commotion
limbs deep-folded not in pleading
penance or in prayer
but sunny perfect rest.

Further on a puzzled buzzard
circled gobbets of cast-off retread
wondering how anything so obviously dead
could smell so bad.

original version;

Mississippi Veterans' Cemetery
seen from rushing interstate:
low off-white wall, green swale rolling,
single flagpole.

On either side, fenced away
black cattle lay,
heads turned by interstate commotion,
limbs deep-folded not in pleading,
penance,
or in prayer,
but only sunny perfect rest.

Further on a puzzled buzzard
circled gobbets of cast-off retread
wondering how anything so obviously dead
could smell so bad.

That flagpole bore but one flag
(guess).

A tiny travelogue