White Linen

White linen can be laid upon a bed
inviting sleep-- or on a table spread
drawing guests in to a festive meal.
Made into bandages, a wound to heal,
or used to keep the sun's heat off your head.

The new bride her modesty will shed--
she's wearing lacy underthings of red--
but til it's time for them to be revealed,
she wears white linen.

And on the battleground, among the dead
White linen shrouds wrapped those whose lives had fled.
Blood, mud-brown, rust-stained silver steel
and still young bodies fell beneath the wheel.
Til one weary commander “Cease fire!” said,
and waved white linen.