dear brother

[lhiverapproche]

dear brother, please be safe,
i read all about these adventures
that you are having in kenya,
testing kids for aids at clinics,
watching the equivalents of
walmarts blow up while
riding the bus-
living in the slums.
watching as one of your
volunteer friends gets
drugged while she's drinking,
taking her to the hospital,
taking mothers and their
children to the hospital,
(like it's just some normal
thing to do).
i can talk to you for a few minutes
on the phone when the connection
actually goes through-
most of the time it is just static
mom and dad went to visit you,
brought you some KD, books,
licorice, and grandma's cookies.
i hope it gets you through the
next three months,
i wouldn't have that much guts
if i were you, i'd probably
hop on the plane back home when
mom and dad left.
but i am proud of you for
getting through,
but i am going to be happy,
when you get back to Canada safely,
so i hope for now that
memories from home get you through
until the winnipeg folk-fest,
because that's when you'll be home.
dear brother, please be safe.