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Nathan Box Jun 2015
The sharks have been circling.
They wait for blood in the water.
The tiniest drop will unleash a frenzy.
Everywhere you go, you are questioned.
They are relentless.
It is impossible for them to understand the choice you’ve made.
For precisely this reason, the choice was not theirs to be made.

As you reemerge from the water, shock overcomes them.
They cling to God and begotten scripture.
You’ve made a choice to be this way.
“His holiness wouldn’t make you this person.”
They pray wishing it were possible to throw you back.
There is hope and recommitment in the sea.
You aren’t going back.

You are walking on land.
With head held high, you leave behind the X in the water.
For the first time, you are filled with pride and love.
Life is born anew and so are you.
Nathan Box Feb 2015
Backwards hat displaying his favorite team.
Camouflage blowing in the breeze.
Desert wind whipping stars and stripes into a fury.
Tortured holidays spent away from home.
A ration of turkey will have to do.
X tattoo on his upper arm.
A shaky faith in God.
A devil who feels more real.
Babies born thousands of miles away.
Time through an hourglass like sand.
Plenty to go around.
A mission.
Another deployment.
Very few questions asked.
Because the country asked.

— The End —