Poetry

Eric

by

Holly Day

my nephew comes home
from the war
cocky, proud, boasting
of how stupid the people “over there” are
how backward their way of life is
it breaks my heart remembering
the baby in my arms
the little boy with the wide brown eyes
who dreamed of driving his own tractor
someday
who is this man
telling stories of military exercises
of kicking down doors to rescue children
from their “ignorant” mothers
drinking beer and showing off his scars
what have they done to
my sweet little friend