So I Was a Coffin

--For Corporal Kyle Powell, died in my arms, 04 November 2006

They said you are a spear. So I was a spear.

I walked around Iraq upright and tall, but the wind began to blow and I began
to lean. I leaned into a man, who leaned into a child, who leaned
into a city. I walked back to them and neatly presented a city of bodies
packaged in rows. They said no. You are a bad spear.

They said you are a flag. So I was a flag.

I climbed to the highest building, in the city that had no bodies, and I smiled
and waved as hard as I could. I waved too hard and I caught fire and I burned
down the city, but it had no bodies. They said no. You are a bad flag.

They said you are a bandage. So I was a bandage.

I jumped on Kyle's chest and wrapped my lace arms together around his torso and pressed my head to his ribcage and listened to his heartbeat. Then I was full, so I let go and wrung myself out.

And I jumped on Kyle's chest and wrapped my lace arms together around his torso and pressed my head to his ribcage and listened to his heartbeat. Then I was full, so I let go and wrung myself out.

And I jumped on Kyle's chest and wrapped my lace arms together around his torso and pressed my head to his ribcage but there was no heartbeat. They said no. You are a bad bandage.

They said you are a coffin. So I was.

I found a man. They said he died bravely, or he will. I encompassed him
in my finished wood, and I shut my lid around us. As they lowered us
into the ground he made no sound because he had no eyes
and could not cry. And as I threw dirt upon us we held our breaths together
and they said, yes. You are a good coffin.

Gerardo Mena is a decorated Iraqi Freedom veteran.  He spent six years in Special Operations with the Reconnaissance Marines and was awarded a Navy Achievement Medal with a V for valor for multiple acts of heroism while under fire.  His poem, "So I Was a Coffin", won the "2010 War Poetry" contest sponsored by WinningWriters.com. He currently attends the University of Missouri and is working on his secondary education degree to teach high school English.  To find out more about Gerardo "Tony" Mena visit his website at www.gerardomena.com or follow him on facebook at www.facebook.com/tonymena.