Sometimes, a long kiss

I have seen all the horrors of soldiers’ life -- Walt Whitman

Whitman kissed dying soldiers
on the lips,
a long kiss.

He breathed in their gangrene and dysentery
made a loving roll call of their names
read them passages from the New Testament
wrote their letters home
stayed with their eyes all night.

Whitman kissed dying soldiers
on the lips,
a long, motherly kiss.

© Karen Knight