Monkey Hands
a flutter before dawn
the dead visit the living
in a war zone of time
my visitor’s breath blew
an old acquaintance along
my armored body
a faceless host
lies with hands
of sandpaper across
places I didn’t know exist
my repulsion shackled
it howls
we suffocate together
rolled through ancient
oceans of Arabian sand
no one else aware
I am a battlefield away
finished
it slithers to the exit
then blows a kiss
before it’s next visit
Chante Wolf served twelve years active duty and two years inactive Reserves in the US Air Force. Her military service includes deployment to Saudi Arabia in support of Desert Shield/Storm in 1991. She has a BA degree in Anthropology and Women’s Studies from the University of South Florida. She has been published in The Veterans Book Project: Objects for Deployment, Veterans Today Journal, Meat for Tea, Main Street Rag, and Consequence Forum.
