pain of war

beloved castle
walls crumbling
attempt to focus
block the twinge of pain

glassy-eyed redhead
smiling through death
attempt to make sense
deny the flooding pain

cloaked horrors advancing
feeding on despair
attempt to fight back
rise above the dismal pain

felled by a snake
his last words are requests
attempt to understand
is this blank shock pain?

a couple lying still
sleeping without breathing
attempt not to feel
the rending gash of pain

too little, too late
a dead man's confession
attempt not to dread
removed far from the pain

facing the Dark Lord
done with him at last
attempt not to welcome
the acute, mind-numbing pain

focus to make sense
fight to understand
to feel and not to dread
the never-ending pain