The World Come Real

Stone bowl catches fire
cool slate slabs       cross-legged
small round paint-tins       stubby red paint-brush
602 plastic figures          25mm nude and swagger
each figure rolls            fingers tower-cloud full
khaki      tan       gun-bronze      mahogany
lightning licks limbs    faces     hands
helmets      grenades    bren-guns    .303s
defines
fingers from trigger-guard
sock from leg         chest from shirt
a leather-strap wristwatch
stitch the sergeants stripes before breakfast
the jeep almost turned over
as we went to arrange his victory parade
it had been a long battle with large losses
It was a well-earned victory, his
victory, his courage, his vision