war not got me
speed not sped me
through air not felled nor failed nor reserved
and fell not out of banking blackhawks
sand-speeding sans headlights
not even got me scared
nor live rounds in near sounds
nor slideways down arroyos
nor pins, nor spoons nor starclusters in hand
and grenades in lesser antilles got me not
this fruitless search for death
amid knife-fights, gun-fights
and spies won’t have me in sandy climes
so why chase fear?
when it’s been so terribly near
I’m still trying to understand my relationship with fear.