A soldier tells a story about a father beating
his son in the street. He asked the father, why?
Because my son threw stones at your truck.
 
hole of broken teeth
he will answer
a car accident/
face to
 
dashboard, a peeling
stripe             of chest
collapsing red into
lines/  solemn for
contention
 
a stone’s throw
away/  the son
holds onto      jido’s
 a tree begins
   with a seed
 
to hold him or,
cradle to     relief
before he clenches
down to
fractured canines
 
ground into bubble
gum arabic
how he licks     the dust
the same
 
in a stopped car/
unsure whether teeth
or debris
how the ███
ground his mouth
 
to sand,      commanding
defense   or chewing on
regret/  to repent,
stillness
as if                     ease