Dialectics

when he saw the shrapnel in his leg, he decided to take up running … to leave, to embrace, to murderously oppose—visceral decisions two boys must facedaily. One boy to mother—“I hate you; pleaselet me come back to live with you at home, thoseother people I am with... are cruel!” Their tears articulate,meander through the ducts and down the nose,giant lumps choke off the throat and all flowsreverse—  gut acid etches the brain; like anotherboy-soldier stained forever firingin a dark house…nowscared to be alone, counts steps.Neither knows the necessary dialecticsthat will save their lives,or stop the suffering—resolve antithesesand crushing pleas for synthesis    yet.They both still sip their Mountain Dew respectfully,swallow all their sandwiches—with three thick pieces of meatthin bread and cheese—cut in two by mother,that choke down hardmelt to one bodyat the bottom of the bellyand do not displease.