Tree Burst (November 1944)

Tree burst! Tree burst!

Shards of tree and mortar shell

Whistling down piercing

Helmets and brains

Tree burst!  Tree burst!

No leaves raining down

Only sharp cutting killing

Metal-like branches

Like scythes from heaven

And hell.

Running

            Tripping

                Pissing as we run

                     Running through the field

From the forest called

Hurtgen

From the forest called

Death