support the troops 

all the troops.
the father troops & neighbor troops
& classmate troops & grocery store troops
don't forget the grandfather troops
(who come back just to chew 
their purple hearts
in the kitchen) troops aren't supposed
to get hungry. naughty troops
all these troops,
look here they come now, the fresh ones,
they're crawling up on the shore
where they lay their eggs 
alongside the sea turtles,
they strain, crying to blink
the sand out of their eyes.
the troops are beautiful
the troops are natural. their eggs
are ammunition-- the sound 
of an air raid siren-- all red-loud.
when the troops are done being being
mothers that's when we get our the gold
to celebrate them. celebrate the troops,
ladle after ladle of fatty bubbling gold
& platinum-- they're hungry so they drink,
greedy troops, lips quivering with metal.
heavy troops, sinking into the sand
the eggs old enough now to ask questions,
to want college degrees, to want a good gun
to be fired from. the troops have eyes
that rolls over & the families come
to the shore & put diamonds in their sockets
(sometimes shells if they're a poor family).
they stick flags in the ground around their bodies,
take pictures & post them on Facebook.
we love the troops.this is a good troop 
loving sunday, yes? what beautiful troops. 
they did a good job. we, the families pack
up the SUVs, put on a TV for the kids 
in the back. eat bologna sandwiches
from the blue cooler.