he went into national service
high on hope and his future;

I could see it in his eyes,
and his supersized smile,
and when he shook my hands
I felt it too...

my brother had grand dreams
filled with scholarly books, hard work
and college degrees
earned overseas;

"I'll send back photographs,"
he said

and the image of his happy face
stuck with me

they didn't show it,
what was left of it,
at the funeral

they couldn't...

according to the coroner,
and the fishes in the lake
where his body was found...

~ P
(7/20/2013)