Trooper

By Emmett Forrest

Was told I was a trooper
from the time
I was a little girl

Shoulders square
chin raised high
I said
goodbye
my father
stepped onto a plane
and I couldn’t
bear to watch
my eyes downcast
from the window frame

it takes
a strength
to become
a purple heart
to hide horrors under
your pillows
to say goodbyes
that clog in your throat

I lived in
an era of
don’t ask
don’t tells
if there
are no questions
why should you mention

I never stood
about face
but inside
I lost face

broken
rules
were repealed
and shoulders relaxed

at ease soldier

but we marched
one step forward
and two steps back
you weren’t making enough
progress
walling out immigrants
so you took
your fire to the frontlines

and now I hide
behind
masked
masculinities

It was an honor, sir
to be
your honorable sir

Emmett Forrest: I am a student at MIT studying Mechanical Engineering as well as minoring in Writing.  I enjoy walking along rivers and working with machines three times my size.