The hamlet sat at the north end of a long valley, squad
taking a break, LT talking to the village headman.
A young radio operator stood near the lieutenant,
watching the ridgeline, half-click away, a dozen shades
of green broken near the top by tan and black of shadowed
rock faces, individual trees crowning the canopy like camel
humps, edges silhouetted against a sky the blue of old jeans.
A papa-san squatted near him, face wrinkled and impassive,
black marble eyes reflecting everything. The soldier wondered
