Drone Chorus

The Carlow Community Chorus
congregated before the dawn,
and at first light voiced Morning Has Broken by Cat Stevens.
The videographer dispatched his drone towards
the blue to photograph the singers near the footbridge
over the River Barrow.
Music from the assembled choristers
ascended to meet the eye of the drone.

Such shots from above are now a standard
real estate view when selling homes with acreage,
the potential buyer getting
a view they will never experience.

Creech Air Force Base, Nevada
thunders with the relentless power of Metallica’s
Seek and Destroy as young men and women
sit in rows before screens
tracking their prey around the globe.
They lock in on a target, signal their
robotic flying killing toy to strike.
A flash, perhaps in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, Iraq.
Perhaps the cheers erupting in the room
confirm that the target was destroyed.

Perhaps it turned out to be in error:
a school bus, a group of pine nut gatherers,
an aid worker and his family, a journalist
carrying a camera, singers
at a wedding party.

James Madigan is a poet and activist. His work has been published in Mantis, Owen Wister Review, Great Lakes Review, as well as Dissident Voice. He was arrested in March 2024 protesting the US funded genocide. James lives in Oak Park Illinois. He can be reached at jmadigan640@gmail.com Read other articles by James.