my thoughts spin as though
the reel of a well-cast fly line
sailing effortlessly outward...
I sit in the shadows of the underpass
in heavily tattered clothing and jungle boots
whose laces have long been frayed,
When was it? Where I waded into that
rushing stream, just above the subtle
backwater, as the fly danced in the
air toward the intended target...
The cool of the night creeps into
the marrow of these, now, old bones
as I watch my breath swirl as a mist
into the ever-darkening evening.
It was before boot camp,
and long before humping the boonies, a site
so deep in the jungle, we called it Nowhere land...
That rainbow trout practically jumped out of the
river, with trails of water gleaming in the
sparkling golden rays of sun,
swallowing that dry hand-tied
Caddisfly in one deep gulp...
I fold the mud smeared cardboard in half and
mold it under my arms for an extra layer for warmth
as I unscrew the cap on the half empty bottle of port.
Suddenly, I am in contest with this powerful fish,
I reel in as he gathers his strength and then he
takes off, the line zipping off the reel again,
over and over, then snap...
I pull a long slow plug that burns my throat
clear down into the pit of a growling stomach
aching for a bit of hot chow.
Then, oh yes, then, I remember...
It was when the trout won, I lost
and here I am in Nowhere land.
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Author Notes
FREE VERSE CONTEST ENTRY
In April 2019, the U.S. had a homelessness population of over 630,000 with 67,000 being veterans of the armed forces.
Veteran homelessness in America is not a phenomenon only of the 21st century; as early as the Reconstruction Era, homeless veterans were among the general homeless population. B
In 1932, homeless veterans were part of the Bonus Army. In 1934, there were as many as a quarter million veterans living on the streets.
During the Truman Administration, there were one hundred thousand homeless veterans in Chicago, and a quarter of that number in Washington, D.C.
In 1987, the number of homeless veterans was as high as three hundred thousand.
In 2009 there were 154,000 homeless veterans, with slightly less than half having served in South Vietnam.
This is not Republican problem nor a Democrat or Independent problem....homelessness is an AMERICAN PROBLEM. The millions upon millions spent by politicians and political action committees this election cycle is senseless waste of taxpayers dollars with this crisis so prevalent.
To learn more....
National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: http://nchv.org
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