dancing in the dark (growing up)

the boys hold up the wall
shuffling feet
in heat
afraid they will fall
if they step away...
the girls are all chatter
and clatter
of bangles and beads
and full of needs
of young women
coming of age...


post mortem(vietnam)

we felt much better
when the bad people died
we laughed
when the old women cried
it felt real good
when i killed him
i shot him
in the head
i held him by his hair
and shook him
as he bled
and laid on his bed
and sang death chants
with his children