Juice Online Poetry & Art
                                                       Publishing since 1970		cover art for Juice online 2007 cd
2008
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Many of these poets have Books. Find them at Amazon Books: Just type in their names.
    "The Softening of War"


    I allowed you to kiss and grope me
    on a ride from Houston to Atlanta

    When I was lithe and barely 20
    you were latin with onyx eyes and tall
    posessing large nimble hands

    Your two tags scored a rash
    on my cleavage

    And when war came soon after I thought of you
    you were going off to basic training
    then,you were probably my same undeveloped age
    you had no bravado truth be told
    and you shook softly agianst my neck as we tongued

    You felt like sandpaper and smelled of blood oranges

    I don't remember thinking you could die
    though,why was that?
    the way you trembled into my red hair
    I should have known

    I left you somewhere in Birmingham
    as I switched Greyhound buses

    You were looking at me with woeful unnamed eyes
    but I could not say yes,change paths

    And you could not follow anyhow
    the army gave you me
    and I imagine now; took you
    just the same

    Then and now I search for your stubbled
    hushes in my fragile unknowing ear


    Not out of pity did I choose you
    but strength
    I wonder was that your decision too
    to lay everything tender in a stranger down,even me?



Jane Crown