A lot of experienced guys aren't 40-somethings who appear to be some sort of warrior-demi-god-Viking combo... you see that in a lot of movies, and of course it's out there in real life. But a lot of times they're 22 or 24 and they look like any other 22- or 24-year-olds out there. Some look like Conan himself; others just look like regular dudes who wouldn't turn your head. In general, it's surprising to me how people think that your face reflects who you are. Like, how you hear that someone 'looks' like a killer, or someone 'looks' like an angel. That's pretty garbage thinking — I've known plenty of killers with baby faces and plenty of softies with like two calloused expressions in their repertoire, and visa versa, and every combo in between. When I wrote this, I wasn't intending it to be a criticism of anything. Just an observation. I don't want any special treatment, nor do I demand that people care about my experiences. But, to me, it's an interesting observation. ____________ Boy A boy sits in the corner Surrounded by men In suit jackets and ties Immersed in a pool of white hair and tiny wrinkles around the eyes. His shirt is a bit too big His tie is a bit too small His hands are clasped together He sits still as the others discuss matters of “great importance.” Their voices carry age Years bent over the keyboard And years bent toward the dollar Like parched men clamoring for a mirage. But they are young, and the boy is old. The boy remembers wiping blood off his trousers. He remembers clearing a malfunction out of his rifle And firing it back at live men, only one year ago. He remembers pressing as hard as he could Trying to hold the life in a wounded man When the life threatened to pour out of him, Like a finger in the dam of all things that matter. He remembers these things as he sits quietly in the corner. “Get some coffee,” one says. “Alright.” The boy stands; He pours quietly, stirs quietly, and hands it off. ______________ FYI I wrote this one before I worked for a coffee company, don't read into that part too much lol. #poetry #poem #warpoetry #warpoem #militarypoetry