FIFTEEN MINUTES

FIFTEEN MINUTES
© Del A. Garza


I was late to work
and in these fifteen minutes
I could have saved the world,
or at least this is
how the supervisor made
it appear. She raged and ranted.

I would be on her list,
the bad one at that, and her
roving eye would fall upon me.
Meanwhile the people
that were on time, socialized for hours,
oblivious of the world in need of saving.







LATE CALL
© Del A. Garza


There was a late phone call,
waking up the entire house.
It sounded like a gunshot,
which pierced our hearts.

There had been other calls
to our house in the past:
Drug induced babble found
its way into our ears.

This call was different, a
wrong number, an error.
When the receiver was put down
we calmly went back to sleep.



CASUALTIES
© Del A. Garza


Overseas and at home
the newspapers list
the casualties of this world.

Some that go looking for trouble
and others minding their own
business, end up on that list.

There must be some sick
accountant adding up the numbers
with Death embroidered on his cloak.