Standing with my back to my own.
I learned to wrestle before
I walked.

Fell off my first horse at two.
Fell off my uncle's Golden Retriever
As well.

Always trying to jump town
I suppose. Or being given the
Chance to, by fun-having adults.

I remember the first time I laughed
So intensely I couldn't stop.
Caravan. I was eight. My best friend

John cracked me up. We grew
Up laughing. Climbing, getting
Hurt. Laughing through it all.

Some bruises, punctured eyeball,
Reckless activities around pellet
Guns. Grew up... growing.

Growing, learning and laughing
And laughing at all the incredibly
Good laughs there are out

Here. In the world. Now I know
We knew more about it,
Than anyone knew.

All scars and loss and calluses.
I still laugh about so much,
With so many, every

God
****
Day.

I'm 69 years old and every day for years has been special to me
I see the news every day, more death and destruction
Young men and women of every nation and yes children too
Denied the right to grow old
Victims of the bullet, bomb, rocket, famine
On my head a scar
Between the tip of my left ear and the few brains I have left
Yes, an eighth of an inch more, no head left
Courtesy of an AK 47
Another occasion 9 days in hospital, 5 of them completely blind
Courtesy of an improvised bomb
And yet I'm still here to tell about it
While so many are not
Should I be feeling guilt?
I don't know
But I still ask myself the question after all these years
Why so many have died
And yet I survived