blunt nailed waitress peered
out of window,
watching a white Ford side step
move through a channel
of fading snow,
engine abrupt in the silence
crawling on wet tires
behind the wheel
eyes filled with cluster of stars
that waited for him,
knew he would use rifle and pistols
lain on the passenger seat,
an older man ducked in through
a door from the sidewalk
anticipation filled centuries bones,
oak casket shadows lengthened
over street,
as to traffic signals and crossroads
paused muffler rumbling,
a man stepped out a short distance
ahead and raised a rifle
sounding with a quick report,
windshield shattered
ducking across seats,
other men appeared
bullets clattered and punctured metal
crawled out the door
and as a shield returned fire,
blunt nailed waitress
placed hand on stomach
with a soft flutter,
from the roof of the bank
rifle leveled
became a victim tumbling to asphalt
with rifle expended
took up the guns his grandfather wore,
tightening belt
histories confidence made him stand,
before drawing
bullet clipped his shoulder
wincing not falling
fanned the gun,
two others fell,
a voice shrieked stop
blunt nailed waitress
stood between them,
gunsmoke scented cold air,
it had to be resolved
but not this way,
for the sake of a child
conversation was born
dVersePoets
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