Map of Korea
Illustration from news.bbc.co.uk
I remember the DMZ
cinching the ideological
waist of an ancient
peninsular orient
a bifurcate culture
scarred deeply by
war with itself
blood on blood
born of armistice
four clicks of memory
crossed by patrols
of imported mistrust
this precarious swath
holds its breath
against fear of
exhaling new fire
and the new fire
pent up so long
has developed
a nuclear heat
I remember it
through my binoculars
watching the other side
watching me back
Poesy plus Polemics 
Well crafted and intelligent. When I was in Seoul, I noticed some anti-aircraft guns on the rooftops of the downtown commercial buildings.
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I remember them as well, but it’s more than 20 years since I was last there
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Paul, a little note, I went to graduate business school with a defense planner from South Korea. We were out to lunch one day and I told him what I had seen in Seoul. He said that if the north invaded, that they would be in Seoul in less than 30 minutes.
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Reblogged this on Poesy plus Polemics.
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I think Doug S has summed up this with perfection. A great poem re the 38th.
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appreciate that, mike
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Reblogged this on OUR POETRY CORNER.
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thank you for sharing my poem with your readers
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most welcome my friend
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Paul, you truly have your finger on the pulse with your words…marvelous.
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I sincerely appreciate your generous comment
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