He's an ace.
The fighter jet throttle held in his big hands
calloused from the death of enemies
wild eyes set deep in hungry sockets.
Where has the joker gone?
He used to jingle with cheer,
A boy who could make any girl giggle
a mind that made his teachers groan in disappointment.
He used to have a love;
a girl who blushed under her freckles
after she had knocked him silly for being inappropriate.
Now, for some reason, she never wants to see him.
Is this what happens to all the good ones?
They go out to find themselves
becoming aces, something that makes society proud of them,
but lose everything that defined them?
All I know is he's the military's pride now,
more then five people's deaths decorated on his uniform.
As I sit here I just frown and wish
to hear the jiggle of bells, to see the wide smile.
Instead the world turns to the next generation for cheer
the only jokers left among us are those with hearts painted black,
the only aces left with cocky smiles, their lives ticking quickly away.
A contest entry
- Aces & Jokers by Ken-Maverick.
700 points, ended May 6, 12 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
-
JUDGED!
A very deep and profound write, the last stanza summed it all up nicely, well done poet.
All the best to you in the contest
Ken -
Oh my god, I love this so much. Seriously, it's like my favourite I've read for ages!
I just can't explain why I like it so much ~ Maybe 'cause it's so emotive? It makes you want to laugh and cry all in one internal moment.
"They go out to find themselves
becoming aces, something that makes society proud of them,
but lose everything that defined them?"
^ I've often thought like this. A deep message beatifully told.
You deserve to win (:
~ T x
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