Border Wisdom

the world is not as bad as our

neighbors

made it to be that day—

we’ve seen worse days—

and how beautiful

they were, these days living

strife: how we loved everything about

not having to go to school:

I won’t describe the past for you,

I tell you I got held

at borders, I tell you I am

used to it, and what? What is this record

you play over and over: don’t get

used to it, you shouldn’t

it’s sad—I bow in recognition:

and after the long journey

from border to border, wanting

only piece after piece of these walls around me to start

breaking,

what does not getting used to it

do for me?