When Silence Bleeds

by John Drudge / February 23rd, 2025

The earth groans
Under the weight
Of boots and sorrow
Veins split open
By the jagged teeth
Of war
In ashen fields
Where poppies dare not grow
And the shadows of souls
Whisper
The names they will never
Answer to again
The sky once vast
And open
Folds in upon itself
Heavy with acrid breath
Gunpowder and grief
Where time unravels
Not in seconds but in screams
Carving chasms
Where futures once stood
A hymn of dread
And a reminder
That even silence
Can bleed

John Drudge is a social worker working in the field of disability management and holds degrees in social work, rehabilitation services, and psychology. He is the author of six books of poetry: “March” (2019), “The Seasons of Us” (2019), New Days (2020), Fragments (2021), A Long Walk (2023) and Sojourns (2024) . His work has appeared widely in numerous literary journals, magazines, and anthologies internationally. John is also a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee. He lives in Caledon Ontario, Canada with his wife and two children. Read other articles by John.

This article was posted on Sunday, February 23rd, 2025 at 8:00am and is filed under Poetry.