AURORA by Bill Nevins

legions withdraw as legions must

buddhas wrecked to dust

leaving names no local tongues quite fit

so as the forward operating base he died on fades

back into forever war mist

and his friends hymn soldiers from the sky

he perhaps shines in desert ice cloud-rainbows

moondogs

north lights over Green Mountains we saw

before we thought of him

constellations only the Afghans dare name

bill nevins