Alphabet Prayer

By Kanani Fong
For Chester Aaron, For Berlie & Sam, and all my friends --who have seen and lived in war.

I was going to write a war poem today,
but I took my son bowling instead.
He struck six pins,
picked up the last four with a spare.
One push of a button,
the target reset.

I thought of writing a war poem today.
but I drove my daughter to the store
to buy a pink tutu, matching slippers,
a wand with streamers and a crown.
Like a fairy, she waved at some war
protesters on the way home.

I started to write a war poem today,
but I made alphabet soup instead.
Letters roiled to the surface
to spell "missiles" and "death."
I grabbed an old spoon
and stirred down the words.

I stopped writing a war poem today
to spin a globe, touch the world
with my fingers and whisper prayers.
Then, at a table set for three,
I sat with my children over hot steaming bowls
and swallowed the language of war.

2003