Strange Boy Poem by Kynthia Rosgeal

Sitting quietly in the corner
'he's a strange one that boy'
'why doesn't he go outside? Books aren't proper for a boy'
'He needs to be in the scouts'.

Sitting quietly under a tree
'Someone want to build a fire'?
'When I was your age I had a hard time getting along too'
'You'll grow out of this, maybe you need to join a team'

Sitting quietly on the bench
'If you would train harder you could be first string'
'You are going to love basketball, I did'
'You might need to join the Army'

Sitting quietly in a dark hole watching the shadows move
' ' (motion of three fingers, downwards, pumped fist)
' ' (nods yes, releases safety on machine gun, opens fire)
'Maybe you should go to the hospital'

Sitting quietly on a couch
'Unless the attack is on your record we can't help you'
'It'll pass, a lot of soldiers get regrets at first, but you'll be fine'
'Maybe you ought to get a discharge, honorable, of course'

Sitting quietly at the VA
'next'
'last initial last four'
'take these pills and call us if anything changes'

Sitting quietly next to his bed
'I'm going to miss you dad'
'I wish I had told you, dad'
'Maybe I could just live my own life'

Sitting quietly as me, for the first time
What's done is done.
Tomorrow is a new day.
I still love my parents, and miss them.

I will not be quiet any longer.