Excavations

by Bonnie Schell

Scientists can smell for death
The method is old
They use the nose
raising the probe
over seven thousand Muslim men
under a farm in Branjevo.
Investigators yellow-tag the bones.

The mentally ill
under Housing and Urban Development
lose bladder control
They pace and smell
until found dead with prescriptions
robe pockets full of bottles
No one writes their obituary
It’s too embarrassing.