Unsilenced

Shivers ran down my strained spine,
sweat and dew tried to cool,

the unsettled magma in my blood-shot eyes, 

muscled veins, charged for combat.  

I froze a million lawful questions

and eyed them fallen targets -

five in all, in flesh and blood.

one alive, slumped in front.

My skilled blows hard enough

knocked out the rest,

the final target rose in alarm.

(A forest ranger, loaded and ready,

I was armed and forewarned.)  

What an apology for a man! I spat.  

He’d tested me too far.

after bloody hours of making and breaking

weren’t they tired of it all?

I lowered my gun, I took my stance

Watched him do his final death dance.

‘Repent!’ I said, ‘but go to hell,

for her irreparable loss.’

But when my stubborn trigger,

taut with potential,

exploded his filthy head,

the deafening shrieks of a hundred victims,

had a group of white doves, unsilenced.

The laws of nature and humankind,

had come to my defense

I shrugged that wayward stain with pride

off my untainted metal badge.

To that one mute dove,

I gave my hand

and pulled her to her feet.

Without a word spoken,

With no questions asked,

I prayed to those ghostly voices

and bent to stroke, the lass's head

and apologized 
for them fallen men.