Bled-for Men

Light bleeds through the bloody leaves of the bloody trees,

Bloodied by the blood of men 

Who bled for men not themselves

Who bled for men who could not stand the sight of blood

Yet could stand atop freshly-blood soaked start

And with crimson hand on beating hearts echo

Words not theirs; “Never again.” –

So that public anger may wane

Through the use of polished platitudes.

So that silence could reign as king

In the forests of the forgotten –

So that they, the bled-for men might be fed and fed

While the bloodied bodies of silenced men

Lay there –

Dead and dead.