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36 Recruited she says after high school it was this or some dead-end job so what choice did I have twice recruiters chased me across the mall caught me between cheap clothes and fast food told me about a good life in uniform until they had me thinking how good I’d look Afro braids tucked under my cap she says there was no place to hide—recruiters tracked me down strolling along like I had time to kill and going home was the last thing on my mind we’re all family they said then dropped me in this detachment with dumb chicks waltzing in acting crazy like nobody ever sent them running cause of the color of their skin and if you want to know the truth all of us crazy on dust and blood and how much crap we gotta take before this war is over—and about the time I’m thinking black or white one body’s good as another on the front line 37 reporters come in to scoop the action for folks back home and the white chicks pose for cameras and I’m thinking: this ain’t family worth a damn ...

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