Veteran's Memoirs/Church Bells Toll

I think this must have been for an assignment, or maybe I was just having a weird day.

Veteran’s Memoirs

One dark, early morning: wooden

Window shutters clatter, against stained-glass mosaics—

Like rusted, iron horseshoes stomping through dead men’s plated chests—

Where banners once waved, and bowstrings held taught, an old, moth-eaten uniform now lies folded in my hands.

Church Bells Toll

(A revision of “Veteran’s Memoirs” that forgoes the imitated structure)

Church bells toll.

No grieving now.

Battle horns sound.

No grieving now.

Metal on metal;

A sword in my side.

No grieving now.

The Sun goes down,

And dusk fades to night.

No grieving now.

When can you mourn

When the morning won’t return?

No, grieve now.