fifteen hours.
fourteen, depending on
where in australia you are from.
but for me, it is fifteen hours.

los angeles is fifteen-hour flight from melbourne.
fifteen hours on a plane, and you’ll be in america.
you’ll be in a ****** country, where it almost seems like
the new craze is to be a shooter,
and you only get noticed if you get shot.

they are begging, pleading,
“please stop them from killing us,
our families, our friends!”
and the others say
“oh, but i really love my gun.”
“and i care about my gun more than i care about you.”
“and i care more about my machine made to take life than about you
getting to keep yours.”
and that’s just that, i suppose.

i am fifteen hours away from a ****** country,
and i can’t tell if i’m too close
or not close enough.

i am fifteen hours away from a ****** country,
and for some reason,
that’s just fine.