Reading that Billionaires Hunted People for Sport in Sarajevo While I Pick Up My Child from School
The parking lot still carries the odd pile
of snow, hard as concrete. I remember
when my child used to go sledding
but could never steer. The biggest worry
was trees. The car door opens, and I quickly
close my phone. They cram themselves
in, refusing to take their backpack off
before getting in (or out) even though
I’ve told them so many times. They begin
to tell me what happened with their
friends, who talked to a cute person,
who said something funny. They hunted
children and adults. It was wartime,
so people could go missing without
as much danger of being caught. I’ve taught
my child a healthy caution with the rich.
Don’t be gullible like so many people.
You don’t understand. All I see
in the news is war, the government
invading cities, shooting citizens
in the streets. War is coming. It’s
already here.
Raised on a rice and catfish farm in eastern Arkansas, CL Bledsoe is the author of forty books, including his newest poetry collection, Banana for Scale, and his latest novel The Moon on My Back. Bledsoe co-writes the humor blog How to Even, with Michael Gushue: https://medium.com/@howtoeven Bledsoe lives in northern Virginia with his kid.
