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We army crawl across the dirt and patches of dying grass.

Barely missing us, they passed.

Crawl to one smoldering, watching out for broken glass.

We thoroughly examine it.

The white of the missile contrasts against the dirt.

We hear their cackles.

I hear a familiar click.

I look up toward the deck.

Curiously, I watch a finger press the button of the bic.

From the corner of my eye, I see her mother's fingers flick.

Another missile heading our way.

"Watch out!" my cousin yells to make me alert.

But it was too late.

Why didn't I hear the familiar noise of it hitting the dirt?

I look down and see another cigarette burn a hole through my skirt.

I was too slow.

It was too quick.

Now my skirt is aglow.

Through her half-witted smile, smoke is blown.

I was only six,

They should have known.
Just another fab childhood memory of mine.
Army crawl through dirt
We are dodging the missiles
Oh no! I've been hit!
Cigarette burns, hole in my
skirt. Oh what a childhood!
First try at a tanka...hopefully done correctly.
Shannon Jeffery May 2014
It's time to enter a sleepless mind
The cogs and wheels spin and grind
I hear the whistles and the chimes

My head racing faster than a v8
Thoughts are larger than a U.S state
For my sleep I am ever so late

Clocks in my head, tick tocking
Side to side my head rocking
Chains pulling of the ship docking

Inside a war is going
Bullets and missiles a throwing
Explosions is all, lost for all knowing

Eternity lost in void of thought
Reminiscing on all I was taught
Consistent darkness you haunt

A sleepless mind is what I see
It is all I know how to be
So if don't you mind, come join me

— The End —