Image by Андрей Архипов from Pixabay The RutTranch as trenchlife as mud,the wherewithal of a barbed wire calendar, a mind-field waiting to be cleared ofthe dross of past liveslittered in no one’s land,harbouring a treatyshots firedno retreatwords bleeding, doves circlingour tears,dog tags to becollected as evidence of going over the top. Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent […]

The Rut – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon

L’Ornière

Tranchant comme une tranchée
la vie comme la boue,
le strict nécessaire
d’un calendrier de barbelés,
un champ de mines mental
en attente d’être déminé
des scories des vies passées
éparpillées dans le no man’s land,
abritant un traité
coups de feu tirés
pas de repli
des mots qui saignent,
des colombes tournoyant
autour de nos larmes,
des plaques d’identité
à ramasser comme preuves
d’être monté à l’assaut.

Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️

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The Rut

Tranch as trench
life as mud,
the wherewithal of a
barbed wire calendar,
a mind-field waiting
to be cleared of
the dross of past lives
littered in no one’s land,
harbouring a treaty
shots fired
no retreat
words bleeding,
doves circling
our tears,
dog tags to be
collected as evidence
of going over the top.

Copyright 2026 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️