To Die Alone

Description: This poem is based on a true incident:  In 1964, a young airman was murdered in the San Bernardino Mountains of California. His remains were not found for several months.
His assailant(s)was never apprehended.

To Die Alone

Off a lonely mountain top,
he stumbles and falls,
bleeding, bleeding,
in a pleading voice he calls.

In blinding pain, down,
down into the ravine,
he stumbles again.
The cawing of a single
raven breaks the silence
of this untold sin.

As the mid-day sun,
scorches and sears
his flesh, he weakly
struggles to draft
his last breath.

Death invoked by
a crushing blow
to his head.

Murdered by an
unknown and left…
to die alone.

Washed away by
the spring melt,
bleached bones,
this unholy secret
will someday tell.

Jackie R. Kays
Copyright…2003

Comment On This Poem -- Vote for this poem
To Die Alone

[ Control Panel ]
Last 100 Poems