2.4
March 11, 2013

Droning: Just Another Cushy Job? ~ Laurence Overmire

Source: otakugangsta.com via howling on Pinterest

Drone

I.

Asim, a young father

Told his daughter a story

Before she went to bed

A story, part fantasy, hopeful

Reality, where people lived

And worked and played in

Peace, as people do in

Fantasies.
II.

Harold ate his breakfast

Cheerios, with his lovely wife

Eileen.

His rich cup of coffee cooled

To creamy perfection.

 

Ah! Mmm, mmm, mmm.

 

Leafing through the newspaper

A nice pair of shoes for sale

Maybe he’d stop by the store

On his way home from work?
III.

Asim, kissed his wife

Goodnight, he loved the way

Her eyes danced beneath closed lids

When she was dreaming

The quiet moments

They shared alone

The moon shining through the window

Should have reassured him

But something wasn’t right…
IV.

Not much traffic today

Harold thought as he breezed

Along the highway

The Nevada sun just beginning to

Brush the sky with desert gold

A red convertible carpet ride

Few were ever privileged

To know.

When he passed through the

Gates

Securities making clearances

A salute here and a salute there

A slap on the back from his buddy

Jack: “Hey, Hal

Didja see the game last night?

Didja see it? Man it was killer.

Killer, I tell ya.

Killer.”

 

Yeah, life was good

For Harold and his wife and his cat

And his dog, two kids, what more

What more

What more

Could one ask for?

 

The briefing done

To the Ground Control Station

A camouflaged trailer

Cool, very cool

Temperature-controlled

And the chair? Kid glove leather

No expense spared

Some would call this a cushy job,”

He chuckled.

 

Oh well, another day, another dollar.

Check the mission. All clear.

Roger.  Copy.

Just like when I was a kid, he thought

Just like when I was a kid

Playing games, scoring points

Advancing to the next level.

 

When the cross-hairs came on screen

A slight rush of adrenaline

His fingers firmly on the joystick

Thumb poised over the button

Steady… steady

Fire!

 

A flash of light, black smoke

Flame

Mission accomplished.
V.

Asim, his wife, his daughter

Were gone in an instant

Vaporized.

 

Was he an enemy?

A husband, a lover, a father?

Could he have been a friend?

No one asked, no one cared

No one will ever know.

 

Certainly not Hal

He’ll never smell the smoke

Or see the face

Or hear the voice

Or know the name

Asim.

 

Those are abstracts in an

Absurd universe

Not worth contemplating.

 

When he headed out the door

At the end of the day

He felt good

Real good

You might even say, damned good

He did it all

For God and for country

That’s what he was taught

That’s what he believed

Not unlike so many others

On so many opposite sides

Who are taught to believe in

Killing.

 

No need for a second thought

Just a glance at his watch

Tick, tick, tick…

 

Ah yes, just enough time

To cruise on over to that store

And check out those shoes.

Laurence Overmire is the author of the recently released The One Idea That Saves The World: A Call to Conscience and A Call to Action. He has had a multi-faceted career as poet, author, actor, director, educator, and genealogist. His award-winning poetry has been widely published in hundreds of journals, magazines and anthologies worldwide. Overmire is an advocate for peace, justice, human and animal rights, and the environment.

Like elephant enlightened society on facebook.

Join our new Google+ Community.

Ed: Lynn Hasselberger

Read 4 Comments and Reply
X

Read 4 comments and reply

Top Contributors Latest

Elephant Journal  |  Contribution: 1,510,385