When The Smoke Clears Poem by Cooper Gilliland

Before me a field lies covered in blood,
And scattered corpses that rot in the sun
As it sets behind a bank of clouds
Lowering a misty shroud.

A broken soldier walks alone,
Dazed in shock and far from home.
A crimson stain spreads from his side,
And drains emotion from his eyes.

A child crawls from the twisted mess,
Her entire family laid to rest
Beneath the pile of concrete,
Lying tomb-like at her feet.

She sees the soldier standing there,
And reaches out in blind despair.
As he sinks to the ground she takes his hand.
His silent tears flowing; sink into the land.

Seeming in answer the grey clouds burst,
Trying to cleanse the festering hurt.
The endless downpour soon covers all,
But still God's tears continue to fall.