Jonathan Hayes on the Other Side of the
and now
i stand
like my mother's husband
halfnaked with towel
wrapped around waist
in the apartment hallway
these are not purple hearts
from korea or vietnam
these are not sharpshooting medals
these are not flags or tattoos
these black-and-blue marks
have always existed under the skin
it only takes a woman
to make them visible
© Copyright Jonathan Hayes 2006