how a writer and a soldier are related [nat'l poetry month 2010]
the guns you hold stole your breath,
took your name,
i don't know what it's like after all,
i only write things down because i have the time.
i only have seen pictures.
i only send email forwards and read articles.
JROTC in high school is my joke i tell
people.
you and i mutually have a discipline:
daily jumping jacks and daily stanzas.
a shift with a rifle and a shift with a pen.
these comparisons are too easy to make
and still we have a problem calling
to ask, "do you miss your mom?"
our mamas are finally together,
making their foods like bent over back
instead this time no tears.
i never told you that i am terrible with
directions, but can faultlessly find my auntie's
tombstone. the song of a sister's tears
give a strong perimeter and i always watched
this.
here we are still living and even
the punching of keyboard keys or
the dial tone are the ways we run
away from each other.
took your name,
i don't know what it's like after all,
i only write things down because i have the time.
i only have seen pictures.
i only send email forwards and read articles.
JROTC in high school is my joke i tell
people.
you and i mutually have a discipline:
daily jumping jacks and daily stanzas.
a shift with a rifle and a shift with a pen.
these comparisons are too easy to make
and still we have a problem calling
to ask, "do you miss your mom?"
our mamas are finally together,
making their foods like bent over back
instead this time no tears.
i never told you that i am terrible with
directions, but can faultlessly find my auntie's
tombstone. the song of a sister's tears
give a strong perimeter and i always watched
this.
here we are still living and even
the punching of keyboard keys or
the dial tone are the ways we run
away from each other.