I see dead people.
on the screen
then in my dreams
babies sprawled,
unable to crawl
beyond nursing
parents cursing
children’s infanticide
endpoint stratified
soon en-graved
prayers unsaved
there can be no victory in this
spite; parents’ grieving last kisses
vengeful extinguishing innocents
too many eyes crying in heaven
too many hollow sockets put to rest
“I see dead people.” — from The Sixth Sense (1999)
top image link by © 2024 Mohammed Salem/Reuters
I am today’s host of dVerse’ OpenLinkNight. I say:
Please link up one of your poems or write to one of the optional prompts given. I chose one of the given movie titles to use as a title for my poem.
Tao-Talk 
That one said its message clearly……..
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ain. Also want to let you know I haven’t found a way to comment on your poems from where you are posting, but I have been reading them. Today’s really touched my heart :(
LikeLiked by 2 people
None of us have been able to comment on Ain’s posts…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hoping he gets back to us to let us know how to comment.
LikeLike
Heart-breaking, Lisa. I don’t want to see them, but they are constantly there, on the television news, in the papers, on the internet – and rightly so. We must not ignore them.
LikeLiked by 2 people
<3
LikeLiked by 1 person
The reportage of daily atrocities quells to a troubling murmur. Hiroshima, Gaza mon amour.
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
LikeLiked by 1 person
that final line is so visceral
LikeLiked by 3 people
:(
LikeLike
Quite intense, thank you.
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re welcome, Chris. I wish it wasn’t so.
LikeLike
It’s hard to have words for the horrifying, and yet you’ve done it and done it so well, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jennifer thank you. I understand about no words about some things :(
LikeLike
Great write… The notion of vengefulness extinguishing innocence is a very powerful and your close of ‘too many hollow sockets put to rest’ is a great one
LikeLiked by 2 people
Scott, many thanks for your sensitive feedback.
LikeLike
There aren’t words enough to speak of all the pain, sorrow, tragedy of those horrific acts.
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
LikeLike
We have all been forced to see dead people in a way we had believed we had grown beyond – both in Ukraine and Gaza and other places around the world and your poem crystalises the feelings so strongly, Lisa…
LikeLiked by 2 people
Andrew, well-said. Thank you for your insightful comment.
LikeLike
Oh this is so heartbreaking Li. And very true too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sadje, I wish it wasn’t so :(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too. But we can’t close our eyes to this reality
LikeLiked by 2 people
<3
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙏🏼
LikeLiked by 2 people
Gripping and hard to bear.
LikeLiked by 2 people
<3
LikeLike
That is a hard read…and it should be.
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
I got your email. Will answer soon.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow. Exactly. It haunts me every single day. “Hollow” is the word 👌🏼
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is an unthinkable reality to me and haunts me too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Too many dead people…sigh…
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
LikeLike
Way to much of it. And no end in sight. (K)
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, judging from the comments, I don’t see my pingback. So I’ll try it this way.
Here’s my attempt. I hope I did it right. Tell me what you think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartland Echoes, I clicked approved on all 3 of your messages but they did not show up in Mr. Linky, so I manually added your post there. Haven’t read it yet, but it is now in Mr. Linky. Another unsolved WP Mystery :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Okay. Thank you 🤗 Wp now a days seems to have their own mind, it seems.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re welcome :)
LikeLiked by 1 person
This gutted me, Lisa. No words tonight. 😔
LikeLiked by 2 people
<3
LikeLike
It’s heartbreaking to see the innocent lives taken away, Lisa!
LikeLiked by 2 people
:(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh my, Lisa, this is so emotional and compelling.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Robbie, I was watching “Democracy Now!” earlier this week, where 2 members of major US aid/food networks that are trying to get it to Gaza have recently resigned because of false reports that Israel isn’t blocking their efforts. WHAT A SHAME. On Israel and on US. They showed babies and toddlers as described in my poem, doomed even if given food now. I can’t get their images out of my head.
LikeLike
How absolutely dreadful. I can’t bear suffering by children and animals.
LikeLiked by 2 people
:( <3
LikeLike
An intriguing prompt.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome, Robbie. Thank you :)
LikeLike
My pleasure, Lisa.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lordy… you went for the jugular on this one. Fabulously, might I add.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Dale, what I saw earlier this week has been haunting me. This is a way to process it. Thank you and appreciate your support <3
LikeLiked by 2 people
This is a good way to do so. 🤗
LikeLiked by 2 people
<3
LikeLiked by 2 people
Sometimes you just have to call it like you see it Li and this is one of them. Well composed and so sad a sign of our times. 🤗💗
LikeLiked by 2 people
Cindy, dear, thank you <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh but of course💗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sad but true in many aspects
LikeLiked by 2 people
Glyn, children being allowed to starve anywhere is an act of war. When it is allowed in your own country, it’s also domestic terrorism. I’ve seen things here in the US while I was working that would haunt your nightmares, and I’m positive it’s still going on :(
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh wow!!! You’ve expressed this quite well 🥹
LikeLiked by 2 people
Belladonna, thank you.
LikeLike
Very well put; the words and the header image.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gia, thank you. Hard to put into words but words it needs to be put into.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Indeed “no victory”
Just pain to every side
much🤍love
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gillena, the reality of your comment should be obvious to all with eyes in their heads and hearts beating in their chests, but they seem blinded by monstrous agendas :(
LikeLike
Haunting lines, Lisa, of broken bodies and lives, where “there can be no victory in this/spite.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
:( <3
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is beyond sad.
LikeLiked by 1 person
:( <3
LikeLike
Ineffable
LikeLiked by 2 people