Soldiers Shot in Battle
In that backyard
three small trash cans
had their place
next to each other
against the house.
Stationed like guards
they never moved
except on trash day
when they would go
out to the curb
for a couple of hours
or during a big storm
when the wind might
knock them over and
blow them around
and the widow would
dash out and stand them
back in place.
But now the cans
don’t go to the curb.
And if a big storm
blows them over
they stay down,
soldiers shot in battle.
They hope to have
a new master soon.
The house has been
for sale a month.
The widow is
in the ground.
Donal Mahoney
