Memories of a Peaceful Time by James Piatt

Screams in broken languages of anguish slash
into sand and rock leaving a gory scarlet tint to
sandy dust soaring high into the air. A cold
hopelessness lingers over the blood painted
sand as battles continue, on and on. Death
circles over the battered arenas of combat as
the deafening growl of war echoes into
soldiers’ ears. Exhausted warriors hasten
behind sandstone rocks searching for
moments of peace while politicians argue over
prosaic morsels of trivia in the white domed
chamber of meaningless opinions. The world is
drowning in war’s blood, as time tears at
reality. Hatred rips with metallic talons into
minds clutching ammorality, trying to exhaust
any morality. Soldiers plod slowly along the
brink of the abyss straining to recall memories
of a more peaceful time, but find there are few
and they are fading. 

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Dr. James Piatt, a retired professor and octogenarian, has had four collections of poetry, “The Silent Pond,” (2012), “Ancient Rhythms,” (2014), “Light” (2016), and “Solace Between the Lines,” (2019), over 1,345 poems, four novels, and 35 short stories published. His poems have been nominated multiple times for pushcart and best of web awards. He earned his BS and MA from California State Polytechnic University, and his doctorate from BYU.