Life was simple when
she ate the apple the Queen brought,
fell to the floor in a swoon and was loved and missed
and brought to life with a kiss.
Life was simple when
the young men drove down dusty Southern back roads,
drank beer in convertibles,
and told wild tales about the planes
they greased up and flew, the orders cut
for someone else’s sons.
Life was simpler when
I could look into your eyes and see your dreams.
Now forty years after Viet Nam,
night terrors still come.
I read the newspapers aloud:
Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran.
I soothe with words, a kiss,
and worry about our soldiers coming home.
Tomorrow’s wars unfold in newsprint.
Swooning seems as luxurious as a prince’s kiss;
the apple promises oblivion.
I like the way you've interwoven the story of Snow White with modern wars.
ReplyDelete