"Starling Clouds"
By Chris Madsen
the birds are gone
minus the starlings
swarming in great number
they turn and billow
like smoke from steel mill stacks
rusted rail bridges
burning rivers
it’s an industrial complex
decades behind the informational age
broken windows on the east side
clothes tossed onto mud lawns
graffiti covered with shades of blue
doesn’t match the lead based paint
it’s brown and gray
plastic bags caught in trees
replaced the bright green leaves
it can sink me to the bottom
of our unfrozen lake
Chris Madsen is a former Scout Sniper and US Army Veteran. Read more of his writing here.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Listen to our latest episode with Kimberly Evans on the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we interview incredibly talented musicians, artists, writers, and theater professionals, who also happen to be veterans.
Join us this Saturday at the Parlor for Thrillers and Laughs, a collection of seven, veteran authored 10-minute plays that are sure to amuse, startle, and thrill you. Settle in with a refreshing summer mocktail and dessert made by our friends at Jones Farm for a night you won’t forget. Shows have been sold out all season long, so get your tickets before they’re gone!