Between the Signal Shots


1. 
   half-past 
  (one) 
   
     Miller's first echoed 
  split silence 
       of Napoleonic sprang 

 'there she goes!' 

     must have been like 
   a first rain dr-op 
        before a hail storm 

  doubtless, it hung in the 
    air 
       a lofty suspension 
   to a deadly speck 


2. 
while hanging 
       time exaggerated 
   extended and enveloped 
       armies 
      
  if it caught you blind 
      your ears turned to 
     front 
           
     because this was not 
      silence 

  you knew 
      it had begun, 
    but could not tell 
        what 

       
3. 
    to a gunner, the waiting 
      the lanyardtaughtt 
         in white sweaty 
      hands 
          gripping wood 
    and leaning, 
           just slightly 
        
    waiting 


     the motion for the second - 
   order 
       ,maybe nod 
           or intuition 
 but you knew 

      now pulling 
        to nothing 
   anti- 
        climax 
   pulling to misfire 

4. 
  to take up slack 
      only off by 
    splitting hairs: 
         number three 

5. 

 the line then exploded 






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