Friday, November 5, 2021

POEM FOR STILLNESS ~

 





Poem for Stillness


He stirs his tea with a gun barrel

He solves the puzzle with a gun barrel

He scratches his thoughts with a gun barrel


And sometimes

he sits facing himself

and pulls bullet-memories

out of his brain


He's fought in many wars

but is no match for his own despair


These white pills

have left him so colorless

his shadow must stand up

to fetch him water


We ought to accept

that no soldier

has never returned

from war

alive



___________________

Garous Abdolmalekian

Lean Against This Late Hour

Penguin, 2020