15 Minutes of Solitude

You know when you
get to that part

about the war
in 100 Years of Solitude

and it just goes on forever?
200 pages at least.

It seemed excessive
until I realized

I’ve been through
at least 200 pages of war.

There was the War
of the Strange Name,

The War of the Bad Grades,
The War of the Girl

from Math Class
with the Incredible

Blue Eyes, The War
of the First Apartment,

which featured The Battle
of the Beer and the 12

Blue Guitarists, The War
of the Hostess

from SW Austin,
The War of Returning Home,

The War of the Mistaken
Wedding, The War

of the Vintage
Clothing Store,

The War of the Girl
Born By the Black Sea,

The War of the Too Much
Vodka. I’ll stop there,

but, you take my point.

200 pages of war
at least, and yet,

still, the Army
of Colombia

sends me no pension.

–February 12, 2018