The War Came To Me

Freedom Is Not The Same As Lack Of Accountability.

The War Tried To Kill Us In The Spring. As Grass Greened The Plains Of Nineveh And The Weather Warmed, We Patrolled The Low-slung Hills Beyond The Cities And Towns. We Moved Over Them And Through The Tall Grass On Faith, Kneading Paths Into The Windswept Growth Like Pioneers. While We Slept, The War Rubbed Its Thousand Ribs Against The Ground In Prayer.

Noises And Smells, Those Can Bring Back Powerful Memories. I Remember When I Was Going To School One Fourth Of July, And There Were A Lot Of Fireworks Going Off. I Knew That I Was In Richmond. I Knew That I Was A College Student. But I Thought People Were Shooting At Me.

But I Remember Being Told That The Truth Does Not Depend On Being Believed.

I Knew That At Least A Few Of The Stars I Saw Were Probably Gone Already, Collapsed Into Nothing. I Felt Like I Was Looking At A Lie. But I Didn't Mind. The World Makes Liars Of Us All.