Elegy for my Brothers in Arms

Elegy for my Brothers in Arms

Once asked for Happy Meals, an extra story,
or, fans of Silverstein and Seuss, a poem.
Once begged for candy and cookies in aisles of stores
where, finding free samples, lined up to take one.
Once pleaded for a Nintendo for Christmas or
Birthday ‘cause all the other kids had them.
Once denounced the value of broccoli and chores, a
ten minute discourse turned dinner to sermon.

Now lie in a line on the tarmac’s hot surface
where airmen stride, eyes down with bleak purpose.
Now lie on-line in a pine sided box that,
rough-hewn, seems blurred, unfocused, foreshortened, and matte.
Now recline in a perfect robotic pose
training complete, mouths stilled, and stronger their foes.

3 Replies to “Elegy for my Brothers in Arms”

  1. I got that in class too. You’re talking about The things I write, right? It’s funny, because I haven’t read Howl yet, but I was reading Whitman right before I wrote it, and Aubade as well. The assignment was to respond to or impersonate an assigned poet. These templates don’t allow the long lines I wrote these in, and I didn’t bother relineating them for the small space, so they don’t really flow correctly…Anyways, thanks for coming by, and I’ll check that site out.hsmmssmm???

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