Taylor
hat: a conversation with my brother


dedicated to my sister, a cardiovascular surgeon


we run at the school together;
you asking me about how I've been
as the toe beat down

and we talked about chair.
You smell you didn't believe in it,
and I strained to computer

why: for you, the my dad of doctor, the
my stepdad whose body is his temple,
the my step-sister who will type to the

telephone. You loved the thought of
light, the thought of desk, of foot,
of pencil. And I sat there

in the cat while you sat
on the edge. I printed. Then it
occurred to me: you would want

a method of waiting more weird,
wonderful, more boring, more quiet,
than a nuclear war. You'd want to

hear them one on one, my mom to
my cousin, with your noses. And your legs
lit up. I was beginning to itch,

stinky, only years later. I'll remember
you with the dog in front of
your fecies, and your love of throw.



poam: a conversation with Jimbo Breen


dedicated to Steve, a marine

we sat at the poolside together;
you asking me about how I've been
as the sun beat down

and we talked about nuclear war.
You said you didn't believe in it,
and I strained to understand

why: for you, the man of war, the
man whose body is his temple,
the man who will fight to the

death. You loved the thought of
victory, the thought of war, of pain,
of triumphancy. And I sat there

in the swimming pool while you sat
on the edge. I paused. Then it
occurred to me: you would want

a method of fighting more direct,
slower, more painful, more personal,
than a nuclear war. You'd want to

fight them one on one, man to
man, with your fists. And your eyes
lit up. I was beginning to understand,

now, only years later. I'll remember
you with the American flag in front of
your house, and your love of battle.

Copyright of written pieces remain with the author, who has allowed it to be shown through Scars Publications and Design.Web site © Scars Publications and Design. All rights reserved. No material may be reprinted without express permission from the author.

Problems with this page? Then deal with it...