Hutch

—by way of what they say

From back when it was Nam time I tell you what.



Them days men boys gone dark groves rose like Vietnam bamboo.



Aftergrowth something awful.



Green have mercy souls here seen camouflage everlasting.



Nary a one of the brung-homes brung home whole.





Mongst tar-pines come upon this box-thing worked from scrapwood.



Puts me much myself in mind of a rabbit-crouch.



Is it more a meat-safe.



Set there hid bedded there looking all the world like a coffin.



Somebody cares to tend to it like a spring gets tendered clears the leaves!





Whosoever built it set wire window-screen down the sides.



Long about five foot or thereabouts close kin to a dog-crate.



A human would have to hunch.



Closes over heavy this hingey-type lid on it like a casket.



Swearing to Jesus wadn't it eye-of-pine laid down for the floor.





Remembering the Garner twins Carl and Charlie come home mute.



Cherry-bombs 4th of July them both belly-scuttling under the house.



Their crave of pent-places ditchpipes.



Mongst tar-pines come upon this box-thing worked from scrapwood.



From back when it was Nam time I tell you what.


Source: Poetry (December 2007)