Poetry: Hole by James Lilley

Hole

I smell flesh

I smell death

 

Cut to shred

Mangled barb wire

 

Hiding in a hole

Crying into my rifle

 

The constant rattle

Screams of dying brothers

 

Water brown from shit and blood

A man lets go, of all, when he dies

 

Earth shakes from thunder of man

Skies blackened with thick plumes of smoke

 

Covered in the mud, sludge, sinking

Filthy less than I was

 

I pray but

God has left this place.

James Lilley is from Swansea, Wales, and has competed in various forms of combat, boxing, MMA and bare-knuckle. He has had work published across multiple zines and was named Versification Punk of the Year 2020. He has collections available with Uncle B and Alien Buddha.