Beats

Beats

Far off, drums hum to a cadence,

A droning warning of danger:

A call to synchronicity:

Beats to temper the erratic 

Reactions to fear.

Tribes unite in purpose:

Beats bringing hearts to a

Common pulse. 

Far off, boots pound to a rhythm,

Straightaway into danger,

A call to heroic sacrifice:

Feet to fellows fallen:

Marches to monuments

Risen in bravery:

Beats to mere taps of a

Common pulse. 

Far off, bombs burst, rockets glare,

Remembrances of danger,

Delivering destruction,

Pocking scorched bunkers,

Mortars and bullets’ beats

Upon grounds and chests

Fallen, dust to dusted:

Common Pulse. 

Nearer, hearts' beats:

Signaling fetal life, murmuring—

   Fully dependent. 

Signaling maternity, embracing—

   Suckled consonance.

Signaling filial pride, protecting—

   Doting, pushing.

Signaling fraternity, team-building—

   Collecting.

And first loves,

And disappointments,

And adventures,

And poetry and song,

And Peace and War:

Loss. 

Nearer still, our hearts beat on:

Thubbadubba, our own.

Thrumming, swelling, ours together:

Fighting, excelling, villaging.

Thubbadubba, strong beats our own,

Roaring: stronger beats together.

Melodic strum, lyric thunder:

Common pulse. 

Read more of my poetry, essays, and stories at Momentitiousness.com