the glass ever

the glass ever

 

 

 

now,

the draft 

is something invading

through a slightly open window

 

then,

the draft

was something from one country invading another

through a slightly open border

 

at the time,

the draft

was something that invaded families

through a demand of Uncle Sam

 

always,

no choice but to serve

no choice but to swerve

from a positioned life

 

never,

coming home

coming home broken

imprints invading through a slightly open window

 

sometimes,

remembering sanity

remembering the explosion of war

through a slightly open border

 

of sometimes being whole

sometimes being fragments of self

never understanding why

through a slightly open-ended argument

 

at the time

reasons

to serve

reasons to swerve from truth

 

shut the window

turn away the draft

remember what it's like to be whole

understand

 

the border, the frame, the pain

of a window

that never should have been

opened.

erin-cilberto 7/28/23

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Wow Jacob. I had to read a few times. Remind me of the old saying. Half-empty or half filled.
"the border, the frame, the pain
of a window
that never should have been
opened."
The above lines. A solid ending. Thank you my friend for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Coyote,
j.

[emmajoygreen]

That word 'draft' is a killer in more than one way, as you well know, jacob. Tis like those winds of time that thrust war and its ever-dark debris into the hearts and minds of those who are obliged to fight, plus, those who stand by and pray like hell. Your words wander through emotions wrapped in fine poetry yet
these stanzas near scream (at least to me):

' sometimes,
remembering sanity
remembering the explosion of war
through a slightly open border

of sometimes being whole
sometimes being fragments of self
never understanding why
through a slightly open-ended argument'

Yet again I ask why, if war is thought to be THE answer, why has there been more than one open window and its never ending draft?

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Dylan wrote in his song..."If God is on our side, he'll stop the next war."
I wish he would.
THank you for your kind review, em.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

There was a time when that word draft sent shudders through each family. Where sons, brothers, husbands and boyfriends had no choice but to serve their country in a war not of their choice or making. It killed many and the ones that returned were often utterly broken or unappreciated. Keep the window shut. Drafts are unwelcome and unpleasant. Strong piece J. We are both of an age where the whole business of Vietnam generates a bucket load of emotion, even years later.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Some of my friends came back from Nam really different...terrible war.
Thank you, Chris,
read moreSome of my friends came back from Nam really different...terrible war.
Thank you, Chris,
j.

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

The metaphors here truly fantastic Jacob !

My Older brother went over there and I was in middle high about 2nd form I think that’s like year 8 now

The day he came home I’ll always recall as I recall the day he left

He got two collapsed lungs in the rigorous training here but they still sent him over after he returned to training

He’s 12 years older than me
Lives in Wellington

I sent him monthly comic books letters etc as a young teen and chocolate
He says he enjoyed
I wonder if he really did get them or just said it
The horrors over there awful for all the young and old men
He was an engineer and dismantled land mines
Seems another lifetime ago

He has cancer and has for many years

War is senseless kills our young


Your poem brought back that time

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I bet he did get the comic books and chocolate and you really helped him get through.

I am sorry he had to serve and then on top of it he has to suffer with cancer...not fair.
j.

[light and ashes]

Vietnam broke a lot of people.
Vietnam broke a lot of families,
and all of the many people that blamed children for their fathers being drafted, which was one thousand percent not their fault, broke a lot of children,
as well as the fathers that came home and were just not the same after the war.

Overall, war is just a window that humanity should have never opened, in the first place.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I agree that window never should have opened.
Thank you, Light.
j.

[light and ashes]

You are very welcome. Always appreciate you, Jacob.

[NormaZ]

I love The metaphor of the draft through the window, and the military draft. My husband was drafted in 1972. Luckily the war In Vietnam was coming to a close and he was sent to South Korea. It was terrible what those young men were put through, and like your poem were you write no choice but to serve.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Yes, it finally started to wane in 1972...
I was 1A for awhile but got lucky.
Thank you for sharing this, Norma,
j.