H.E. Mantel

TELL

Some of my friends know,
they think… But, Aaron, & Nick,
Chrissy, & Omar

do… I tell Tosca
sometimes when we laugh about
stuff that makes us cry

‘cause Mom says… And so
anyway the Baby gets
scared when… I’m not a

baby, anymore,
& not even Tosca when
we stuff our crying…

©Copyright September 9, 2008 by H.E. Mantel

Author’s Note: Commissioned for “A Hero’s Journey”, an Anthology about the children of war and the interminable consequences that war has on their lives, compiled and edited by Erik Ekstrom.