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 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
For Max
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
Captain,
suit jacket still beneath your tremor-less hands,
dark jeans as classy as any suit,
blue and black tie radiating calmness,
confidence,
you are our best.

Captain,
how you speak with such careless finesse,
words painting a picture and cutting it to shreds
and repainting it in new light,
you respond and counter questions,
a mongoose attacking an ancient cobra,
striking, winning,
grinning and frowning in perfect rhythm,
ever in control.

Captain,
you cannot win an uphill battle
when your opponent walks on air,
when spectators throw to them machine guns
and step on your fallen spears,
nor can your army
(ever willing, ever ready)
fight without you and your words
drilling through enemy lines,
ever calm,
confident.

Captain,
I have suffered the sting of defeat,
as have we all,
and I have felt the shame and fear
that flows in your blood as you hear the result,
and I see the look in your eyes
as you walk, ever steady, from the room,
foot itching to kick the walls with your radiant deliberateness,
and then you come back,
the look in your eyes one of exhaustion,
for you are tired,
Captain.

Captain,
rest your mind, hold your tongue,
let sleep and lethargy be your's for a day,
for the weekend,
for we all shall,
we, your army, who are tired and worn
from the conflict,
who have come out as victors or failures
and who cry in your dreary shadow.

Captain,
ten days remain till next we fight,
papers as swords and numbers as shields
beneath fire from questions like missiles
which we must deflect,
somehow,
and we will be ready, Captain,
we, your army,
in our suit jackets and clicking heals,
will lead you as you lead us:
to victory.
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
It's time to give up
when you try to collapse from exhaustion onto the couch
and stub your toe on the coffee table in the process.
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
"Nvm"
are three
                                                               3
little
         l
          e
           t
            t
             e
              r
               s

that
never cease
to ****
me
                      o
                    f
                  f
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
17 hours
17 hours till
17 hours till I
                      wake up
                                    make coffee
get
get dressed
get dressed in
                       clothes for
                                         the test
the test that
the test that I
the test that I am
                             studying for
                                                  to avoid
studying
                for
                     the
                           other
                                    tests
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Abby
It seems like                                          everyone wants
                 to be                           loved                       and                              I
         don't                                             get        why                                       because
          it                                             ­          seems                                                 like
         nothing                                                          ­                                          but
                tro­uble                                                             ­                       to have
                        someone                             ­                                       with
                     ­              that                                                           much
                                      affection             ­                               for
                              ­               the                                      most
                   ­                              wretched                 thing
                                                           ­   you      know
                                                ­                     of.
 Feb 2014 Joanne Berger
Sjr1000
Thousand
piece
Lego set
love lies
shattered
on the ground. ..

— The End —