advice to new graduates

learning how to kill
doesn't need to be
in your repertoire

i don't know much
about peacecorps
americorps
help america read
that college near you
or anything else
but it's got to be better
than camp lejeune
fort bragg
or life on a submarine
not a yellow one
but the cold gray steel ones
project oil war & empire maintenance

you don't need to accept this
but
your life means
live

--- e b bortz

(published in The New People, June 2006)