ties around our necks

we were told

a man killed himself here

and we asked what kind of man

and were told

a man who would kill himself here

so we looked for the kind of man

for a while

coming back

playing here

building forts out of rope we found

having battles that never transpired

but if did

we’d be ready

because we could be men here

who could kill each other

even if we argued who shot who

and who won where

and what the point of

going on was if we didn’t have

any rules like where to put

the dead bodies and wouldn’t they smell

because they always smell

and it smells here

do you think that’s where he, well, he

i don’t know

the branch is broken

ya

so wouldn’t make much for an edge

maybe he jumped

he’d be very small for it to be worthwhile

maybe he wasn’t much of a man

saying the words

getting taller

bigger

with each one

calling a man a man

and all else all else

the place where the games went

when they went where

how did we play

i forget

so do i

do you mind if i bring a girl to the fort

no not at all

thanks

just be careful with the rope because

it’s much more tattered than when we found it

on that sunny day

laying down

looking at the sky

it looking at us

lost in our eyes

blue brimming with blue

and wind that brought the rope

the fort

the games

the girl who moans

wounded and hurt

bleeding for it’s her first time

fighting this fight

losing

all losing

all lost

the sky

the man

us then

and now

trying to come back to the rope

later when there is a when

but it has strained too much

and we have strained more

with ties around our necks

that are too tight

though we are men

who do not complain