Another Call

Another call,
another friend dying.
Myriads of memories lost,
who will I outlive next?

My gut wrench
proves I can still feel,
I reject survivor's guilt,
the dice, and the coin toss.

Why them and not me?
Did they deserve it?
Have I escaped because of an oversight
or simply luckier than most?

I have forgotten the majority of memories
I doubt I remember them accurately.
Like headlines from magazines at checkout,
images photo shopped and tossed about.

Do I remember truth,
does it remind me of the taste of blood?
What lies have I swallowed,
what poison have I regurgitated?

Have I bitten my tongue?
is there bile in my mouth?
So many broken promises
like broken glass on my lips.

My bloody mouth bears
testimony to my fight,
it is too sore to offer my excuses
or to admit my wrongs.

The life of the flesh is in the blood
and it is given as an atonement
for my sins, for my sins,
I sing and celebrate those who have gone ahead.

Someday my end will come and someone will be called.

Die fighting like everyone before you. Poems wont help. You stand for something or die for nothing.

a reply to: crusadors

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I disagree with you about poems not helping. I am a writer and I believe the pen is mightier than the sword. All great thought and actions have come about because of the word. Your response to me was made possible because of the written word. I believe your words were meant to encourage me and I receive them as such.

I see you are pretty new to ATS and I welcome you. The power and value of this site is manifest in our ability to communicate what is important to us and sometimes to politely disagree with others.

a reply to: grayeagle

Beautiful peom!

a reply to: Quantum12

Thanks Quantum! I have lost several friends to cancer lately and another was just diagnosed with ALS. I wrote the poem as a response to what I was feeling, my own fears and anger. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment!

a reply to: grayeagle

To me your beautiful poem has a lot of life and feelings. Powerful. Thank you for sharing your work!