expansion

she’s not going to warn you

       against rushing

                   baffled and itchy

        as many times as it takes

                     to rejuvenate the soul

              and now we have

                                          everything

        good people

               old soldiers

     and the nonreligious

                  wars are so much harder

experienced men

           locked

in a culture of

                       expansion

chipped plaster

girl leaned back
in the chair
and rubbed an
itchy sock
against the wooden leg

she pulled at
chipped plaster
trying to memorize
two empty
cigarette packs
and the smell
of his soap