Blow Up the Inside World

one day you’re twenty-four
you see the world
in
black and white

there were no shades of grey
just up
down
left and
right

chow hall food
no longer eaten
MRE’s gone
but never forgotten

up
down
left and or
right

jobs weren’t available then either

down is
up
left
could pass for
right

a decade of rock n’ roll
beer
and meaningless labor
another decade of rock n’ roll
babies
and meaningful labor

one day you’re no longer twenty-four
not even close
see the world?
look at it…

it’s not so much that
nothing
ever changes
it’s that you see it now
the grey
not
black and white

***