Enlisted at 14 by Richard LeDue

Henry was the tall one

and Tommy was the short one.

They used to play box with each other when off-duty, until one day a sniper shot Henry, and the blood on Tommy told him the game was over.

Later in the night, that same sniper ate a chocolate bar,

assured that the moonlight shone only on his country, while Tommy struggled to hold his cigarette still, signalling to the ghosts of his future.

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Richard LeDue (he/him) was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, but currently lives in Norway House, Manitoba with his wife and son. His poems have appeared in various publications throughout 2020, and more work is forthcoming throughout 2021. His chapbook, “The Loneliest Age,” was released in October 2020 from Kelsay Books.