Three Monkeys Online

A Curious, Alternative Magazine

The Tide – a poem

By Michael J. Whelan

The Tide

Silver bodies float on the surface

driftwood- reflecting sun.

Soldiers fish with hand grenades

as shadow birds cluster

 

flying on white sands under water.

I stand on the feet of my shadow

arms outstretched – resting on a still sea,

bearing no weapons,

 

the tide is undecided.

Identity disks hang from my neck

tangled up with miraculous medal,

scapula and crucifix.

 

I was the peacekeeper.

 

The tide is turning.

Michael J. Whlean served as a peacekeeper with the Irish Army in South Lebanon and Kosovo. He was 2nd Place Winner of the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award in 2011 and selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series in 2012. His poems and short stories have been published in Cyphers, Crannog and The Moth. (www.michaeljwhelan.wordpress.com)