The American Soldier
The American Soldier
as the american soldier
locks his sight on iraqi
journalists in new baghdad
thought to have ak-47s, does
he know that the oil used to
keep his gun greased is silicone
based, does the soldier know
that silicone is made up of tiny
beads, like sand; does he know
that, that the same desert sand
floor that absorbs the spilled
blood of the iraqi journalists
is one in the same as the oil he
uses to caress, maintain, hug
and handle the apache’s mounted
machine gun, breathing in slowly
and pulling the trigger softly
while exhaling, feeling the
percussion of the automatic
shots reverberating through the
metal body of the apache, through
his arms, through his chest
as the american soldier
that is of mexican descent
with light-brown skin and dark
brown hair and eyes locks his
sight on iraqi journalists thought
to be armed with rpgs in new
baghdad, who share his same
identifying characteristics, does
he think about iraqi families
celebrating birthdays with grilled
heavily-marinated meat and beer
the kids playing soccer while
brothers fight over politics, the
music of culture loudly played
for the entire block to hear
neighbors wanting or not
as the american soldier
is used as an instrument of
destruction, racism, occupation
and imperialism, does he think
about going back home where
his family is being persecuted
for having accents in arizona, a
last name that ends with ‘ez, but
he doesn’t think about the sand
and the gun oil and the tiny
beads that make up the oil, that
the innocent man he looks down
upon and slays in new baghdad
resembles his uncle, his cousin
his father, himself, but he does
not know that; that borders, race
country, the sense of detachment
religion, pride, hate - however
patriotic is a myth
so that the american soldier can
make the correlation, so that he sees
the oneness, the impact that he has
and the impact the world has had
on him, not a single moment should
pass with silence; peace should be
illegal; not a single american flag
should fly upright
not a single
military recruitment center should
remain standing
as the american soldier
locks his sight on iraqi
journalists in new baghdad
thought to have ak-47s, does
he know that the oil used to
keep his gun greased is silicone
based, does the soldier know
that silicone is made up of tiny
beads, like sand; does he know
that, that the same desert sand
floor that absorbs the spilled
blood of the iraqi journalists
is one in the same as the oil he
uses to caress, maintain, hug
and handle the apache’s mounted
machine gun, breathing in slowly
and pulling the trigger softly
while exhaling, feeling the
percussion of the automatic
shots reverberating through the
metal body of the apache, through
his arms, through his chest
as the american soldier
that is of mexican descent
with light-brown skin and dark
brown hair and eyes locks his
sight on iraqi journalists thought
to be armed with rpgs in new
baghdad, who share his same
identifying characteristics, does
he think about iraqi families
celebrating birthdays with grilled
heavily-marinated meat and beer
the kids playing soccer while
brothers fight over politics, the
music of culture loudly played
for the entire block to hear
neighbors wanting or not
as the american soldier
is used as an instrument of
destruction, racism, occupation
and imperialism, does he think
about going back home where
his family is being persecuted
for having accents in arizona, a
last name that ends with ‘ez, but
he doesn’t think about the sand
and the gun oil and the tiny
beads that make up the oil, that
the innocent man he looks down
upon and slays in new baghdad
resembles his uncle, his cousin
his father, himself, but he does
not know that; that borders, race
country, the sense of detachment
religion, pride, hate - however
patriotic is a myth
so that the american soldier can
make the correlation, so that he sees
the oneness, the impact that he has
and the impact the world has had
on him, not a single moment should
pass with silence; peace should be
illegal; not a single american flag
should fly upright
not a single
military recruitment center should
remain standing