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134 A Veteran Talking We tossed them high into the air And caught them coming down, Sliding straight through The tips of our bayonets. Babies cry in any case, But the women, oh, the women, They made such a racket; Had to quieten them down: That was more bayonet practice. We had our instructions, we had to clear the place. We got rid of the men first, one way or another. As for the women, we did our manly thing with them first Anywhere, behind doorways, in the middle of the streets Anytime, morning, afternoon, night, Then we got rid of them, just as efficiently. It took only a few days For us to get into a routine. We did what had to be done: Shooting, knifing, hanging, burning, Whatever was necessary to keep order In a disorderly city. After about eight weeks We succeeded in quelling the ruckus. It was much hard work: Unending vigilance and continual practice. Finally the city surrendered. It was slightly more manageable, for by then We had cut the population by half or more. 135 Even so, there was no letting up For us the Occupying Force. Unswervingly, we had to keep our cogs oiled, Our tanks running, our dignity unsoiled. Homage to Iris Chang, author of The Rape of Nanking (1997), with much sadness at her early death. La Reine Australienne Over lunch La reine australienne Flew off the handle Upon hearing Australia Off-handedly put down A bride of twenty When her husband Took her there And bashed her to pulp Now forty and whole She took twenty years To reassemble herself How dare anyone belittle The site of her reconstruction ...

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