Havok
When the latest version of Dogs of War
dropped, adolescents of all ages kept vigil.
Children played like adults. Adults played
like children. True for all good fun, killing
felt almost real. In this virtual world
(“virtual” comes from the Latin for “manly”),
the human body springs alive with detail,
down to platelets and red and white blood cells.
In slow motion, you watch the discharged round
spin and spin and spin until you see the impact,
then hear the sound. The slow motion kill
effects are insane, down to shattering bone.
How could verisimilitude this true
not make anyone fall in love with war?
About the Author: Richard Stimac has published a poetry book Bricolage (Spartan Press), two poetry chapbooks, and one flash fiction chapbook. He is a fiction reader for The Maine Review.
Image Credit: Rik Wouters “Nightmare – War” (1914) Public domain image courtesy of Artvee
As It Ought To Be 