Nancy L. Meek

THE WINNING EDGE

Awarded: November 15, 2004Seven months… that’s all he gets
the medic… the wounded’s savior
packing Morphine… the winning edge
and M&M placebos… sweet whispered tokens
slipping them between lips of grunts too broken.

Seven months… that’s all he gets
lest he fall prey to freaky behavior
slipping over the sacrificial edge
stealing more supplies… to save more lives
mail-ordering trach tubes so more survives.

Seven months… that’s all he gets
the medic… the wounded’s savior
hoping to gain the winning edge
humping not more food… but what he needs
moving grunt-to-grunt while still more bleeds.

Seven months… that’s all he gets
as the enemy schemes to be his savior
hoping to gain the winning edge
dropping the pointman… to hear him screaming, not to kill
but to get the medic, too. And he’ll come. They know he will.