SHE BELIEVED
SHE WAS A MARVEL
SOLDIER WHO SERVED WITH
NOTHING BUT PRIDE AND GLORY TO HER NAME
STEEL BACK AND BURNISHED CHEST
KISSED SPLIT KNUCKLES AND SMIRKED WITH THICK BLOODY TEETH
SPAT AT THOSE WHO SURGED AT HER WITH GRITTED BODIES
WOUNDS ABSENT FROM SIGHT ON HER LIMBS
BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO GOOD FOR THEM
BUT DISAPPOINTMENT AND SHAME GREW HOT,
THREADS OF SMOKE, MALICIOUS WITH ENVY,
(BUT TO BE FAIR, GOOD INTENT)
AND NO LONGER COULD HIDE BENEATH,
SO SHE NOW ADMITS
SHE OWES ALL HER FINE WORK,
MASTERY AND SKILL TO
DENIAL
AND
STUBBORNESS
ONLY ONE THING WAS TRUE
WAR CRIES WERE HER CALLING
THE SOUNDS OF SLICED BODIES
AND WOMEN SCREAMING,
"GET OUT, GET OUT!"
RUNG IN HER EARS,
SHE KNEW THEM LIKE SHE KNEW PROPER STANCE
IN A FIGHT
THE COOL LEATHER OF A HILT
WARMED BY HER TIGHT FISTS
THESE WERE TRUE
BUT
COMBAT AND COLLISION
DID NOT QUAKE THE SOIL SHE STOOD ON
OR SHOULD SHE SAY,
THE LINOLEUM OF
THE HIGH SCHOOL FLOORS
INSTEAD
IT WAS THE
BEASTS
BENEATH HER SKIN
THAT WRITHED AND CLAWED,
MONSTROSITIES OF MALEVOLENCE AND MALIGN
BORN OUT OF CRUELTY AND POUNDED FLESH
GROWN WITHOUT AFFECTION
AND IN LIEU OF
AN ENVIRONMENT OF
WHAT IS MEANT TO BE
YOUNG INFATUATION AND SUGAR STUPOR-ED TV,
THESE ANIMALS WERE BORN IN CAGES
SHARDS OF MARROW AND SPLINTERS,
SQUASHED AGAINST THE REST OF HER LIMP ORGANS
(A BRUISED HEART AND FLACCID KIDNEY)
CHOKING, THROAT STUCK EVEN
WITHOUT AN OUNCE OF AIR
( LIKE ANXIETY, THE BITCH IN THE FIGHTING RING)
THOUGH SHE KNEW BETTER
THAN VIOLENCE —
IT DID NO GOOD.
