veteran by Sarah Herrington
you wrapped around me
like a war
bruised bloodied
foreign
i did not care
that you had bombs in your eyes
wounds not yet healed
i wanted the adventure
i was eighteen and ready
to be drafted
but the bombs came,
sometimes i wake nights
still hearing them,
my own scars raised
like flags
the days between us
filled slowly
into oceans
i am a veteran
of your love
now i pull out my purple heart
parade it to the locals
some still believe
the glory
outweighs
the pain
Sarah Herrington is an accomplished poet and fiction writer. Her poetry appears in the anthology Bowery Women alongside writers such as Sapphire and Anne Waldman, and her fiction in the upcoming book Just Like A Girl. She has published work in dozens of print and online journals including SmallSpiralNotebook, Poetry Motel, and Altar Magazine. Sarah has worked in the editorial departments of Scholastic, Inc, Viking Children’s Books, and for New York City’s largest Creative Writing school, Gotham Writers’ Workshop. Sarah currently works with Girls Write Now, teaching and mentoring teenage girl writers. She is a regular reader at the Bowery Poetry Club, Cornelia Street Café, Halcyon, St Marks Poetry Project, and other venues. Her poem-videos have appeared on YouTube, and she has been featured in Venus Zine. She received her degree in English and Creative Writing from New York University. Sarah lives in New York City and online at www.sarahherrington.com.
