An agent orange in

a yellow war

draws a curtain but

no fire which is

saved for the poor

G.I. whose sufferings

are borne of

the vilest lie of

evil most mundane of

briefcase C.Y.A. filed

in a safe

in a safe room

in a safe city

half a world away

from the fighting.

 

Mac tied himself in

knots trying to

justify a plan with

unexpected results and

a government left to

painting truthful reportage

as traitorous

that old misdirection

once devastating now

landing with the thud of

suddenly unexplodeable

ordnance.

 

Behind the curtain

searching for an itch that

cannot be found the

arms flail and twist

entwining mind and limb.

 

Once the rightest.

Once the brightest.

 

-Danny Grosso