A Boy’s Story of War

[Visit: a YouTube Video of the Poet’s reading]

A head or two blemished the image
smeared my view of who might that be
what stands between me and you
a block or two, a window, a wall
I can duck behind if I’m lucky enough
I might race you back to the start
reset and go like an endless runner
bound to hit an obstacle and fall
a couple of extra lives well spent
a new day, a new player takes on the reins
with a plan or no plan, a veteran or not
the game goes on; it’s never over.

A story which sounds so teenish
to see war naked should not make you shy
the sound of one so beautiful once
once upon a shade of a woman
running away from being raped
for the tenth time, today
her hatred can never grow greater
to fit all these faces and all these men
it’s a time of war my boy they said
spoils lie everywhere you have bled
look into the enemy’s eyes
squeeze her neck and take what’s left
it was such a disciplined art
by rank and order, they all lined up
I was a mere private, alas…
a colonel started, I had to watch
and tremble for the truth I had to hide
my heart inside would shiver
yet among them, that was no man’s heart
bragging at some numbers
at mere numbers
how many times could you kill a woman?
by the end of the campfire
most were swaying drunk with glory
my turn was coming like death
I thought how lucky I was
that girl was already dead
all were drunk
and I was the last
I sneaked her body beneath the sand
I didn’t have to kill her again.

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See also: The War Edition Book Blog