9 Comments
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Daniel V. Gaglio's avatar

This poem made me feel like I was standing there too. A good example of how the right details build the scene in the readers mind.

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Josh Datko's avatar

Thanks, appreciate you reading and the comment.

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Melissa Smith's avatar

Gutting

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Josh Datko's avatar

Thanks Melissa. Appreciate you stopping in. 🙏

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Zivah Avraham's avatar

This is haunting and beautiful and, most of all, pulls no punches.

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Josh Datko's avatar

Thank you, appreciate the comment.

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Trevor Kuether's avatar

I love the cyclicality of this one, but definitely rough subject matter. Reminds me of the movie The Messenger, which I never saw because that has to be a rough job.

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Josh Datko's avatar

Thanks. Oh interesting, I hadn't heard of that movie, it's got quite a cast though. Yeah, sadly, the person that would go tell your family is known as a "Casualty Assistance Calls Officer." This person may or may not know the person that was killed. But they are the ones to go break the news.

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Graeme McAllister's avatar

Cuts to the brutality of the wife's and mother's emotion. Succinct and raw. Great work.

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