12.07.09

This morning, long before dawn
while you were buttoning your shirt
were you thinking that one day you'd like a job
that didn't require a uniform?
Or maybe one that didn't drag you out of bed
hours before your wife?
Or were you just happy to have work
with Christmas coming
so that the requests your boy and girl made
on Santa's knee would be filled?
I'm sure, however, as you smoothed
your shirt and tucked it in
you had no idea that
before your first delivery
the morning light would find
three holes in that shirt
as the rain from the ground
and the blood from your body
soaked it from within and without