Humpty Dumpty

63 Allyson Bennett Humpty Dumpty At stop sign next to fair grounds men in hunting suits blazing caps turned back black boots round as a clown's flapping feet strung up to calves Three of them paint the old stands and barn spread straw raise flags for the weekend gun show And the plate in front on car moving to intersection is white and blue P.O.W. # 332 In smaller letters across the top 'Prisoner of War' next to that on bumper 'Free men carry guns Slaves don't' After he turned right raised one orange glove to the old cattle barn housing munitions child-sized M-16's I forgot to stop thinking of the neighbor boy who shoots us twice a day with a life-sized Uzi and how the cattle at the state fair 64 the minnesota review got a window cut from its gut so we could all watch straw digest in its three stomaches thinking there are things hunters cut up in painted houses with shiny tables and gold crosses without stands and without admission fees There are things: Small boys in Afghanistan Nicaragua South Afrika holding guns Uke the guns in hands of small boys in the Heartland with buUets stuck all over Uke tattoos In America the guns are loaded for export the boys and girls go from exhibit to grave without plates without a stone to tell them they are being called back and opened up Then there are things opened up for plastic windows to show blood and feeding and we all pay to see it again and again repainting the signs Thinking the old cow 65 is sewn up after display Thinking admission charges cover us we do not intrude ...