Val Conder, 'The Air Is Cold'

[duathir.livejournal.com]

The Air Is Cold

9:20 AM Israeli time, and
we step out of the hotel, into
a beautiful bright (they mostly are)
day. The streets of Haifa are thronged
with people coming and going, and
all seems well…for about 30 seconds.
Exquisite blue skies, soft breeze,
My wife is talking, when I notice
every third person is in uniform,
and every uniformed person is armed…
an M-16 with the magazine in…
Cold chills race down my spine—
these guys aren’t on maneuvers.
Something…very close, very wrong.
My hand begins to open, close, search
for the rifle I left in Nam. I listen
for the crump of mortar rounds,
explosions, sirens, gunfire, screams.
I look for cover,
get ready to throw myself
on top of my wife
who still sees nothing wrong.
A darkness that haunted me in Nam
blots out the sun… The air is cold.

By Val Conder

Val Conder, 'The Air Is Cold'

[duathir.livejournal.com]

The Air Is Cold

9:20 AM Israeli time, and
we step out of the hotel, into
a beautiful bright (they mostly are)
day. The streets of Haifa are thronged
with people coming and going, and
all seems well…for about 30 seconds.
Exquisite blue skies, soft breeze,
My wife is talking, when I notice
every third person is in uniform,
and every uniformed person is armed…
an M-16 with the magazine in…
Cold chills race down my spine—
these guys aren’t on maneuvers.
Something…very close, very wrong.
My hand begins to open, close, search
for the rifle I left in Nam. I listen
for the crump of mortar rounds,
explosions, sirens, gunfire, screams.
I look for cover,
get ready to throw myself
on top of my wife
who still sees nothing wrong.
A darkness that haunted me in Nam
blots out the sun… The air is cold.

By Val Conder