Could It Be: Eighth Allied Forces
The Folly
Allied Forces
Could It Be
Humanity. Falco’s unshockable eyes
fall half-lidded at sight of a face
…or (correct usage) situation of a face
Dusted verdigris, a skinning of mould on its rot
its sockets aviator’s goggles
And a scalp’s blond wisps
aflutter with the promise of romance
The celluloid reel twists in flame
and out of dreams foisted on the world since the time of war
corrupted stills glimmer their embryos
their encoded wholes…
When the screen angles, and ordinary vision blinks
‘The way is a door,’ says Falco, seeing.
Then: ‘Here comes someone.’
Who knew the earth was flat, but up and down
The thin curtain to shiver now and again
and a radiance…an angel, could it be?…step through
drawing its wings in
A hand reaches for him, he says, ‘Please’
It cannot be, the Pale Knight decrees
‘Krug.’ Falco’s assassin’s eyes warm
with a heart-bursting compassion
No
with love
Madre, madre, mi dispiace
Don’t regret the things I’ve done
The creature from behind the door
Who forever, through ages, arrives to warn
Shows them the miracle complete
The standing corpse extends one arm intact, one humerus
But these in softening light transmute
To the freshened form of Agnes
Her forgiving eyes say Falco, wake
And one by one, Simon, Lucille, Roscoe
Roscoe laughing, a sad and wondering laugh
join the embrace
At length, and none of the living know how it’s come
They wake, as well, to a risen sun
Could It Be
Storms and Fires
(2022, Stephanie Foster)