‘Staff Sgt. George T. Alexander Jr., 34, of Killeen, Texas, died Saturday (Oct.22) in San Antonio of injuries sustained Oct. 17.’
Associated Press

His hollow face up-lit by candlelight
should sit on every sill and porch in Texas,
Maine, and Washington to guard against
the evil on the news, not in the air.
Every child should wear his skull and bones
like relics of a saint that died too young.
Every mom should eat the browning flap-
jacks of his flesh and curse these evil times
when bad is good and good is bad. We leave
our morals in the doorside jar of sweets,
wrap the tax-cuts for the rich in shrouds
of stars, and wicked hats of sickle moons,
for folk need witches burnt on public pyres:
when George assumes his regal crown of briars.

Nigel Holt