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CHOICES
(Yuma, Arizona, 1953)
Back at Yuma Air Force Base they
made us police the desert, picking up
windblown debris--paper scraps clinging
to cactus and other desert plants--which always
laid me low, so whenever a lizard would skitter
across the sands, I, dropping my litter bag, would
hie after in hot pursuit until the little
critter disappeared, and
old Sergeant Hamrick, amazed
that one would rather chase
lizards than collect trash, would
stare thickly at me through bifocals,
mouth fallen open, shaking his head, saying
get serious dad-damn it, airman, or you're
never going to amount to spit in this world.
And burdened with that I have struggled
through the years, since unchanged,
I am ashamed to add, and
would still rather chase lizards.
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