The Elm 2016-2017 2017 The Elm Literary Magazine

A POEM, FROM ONE AMERICAN TO ANOTHER by Thomas Bray Let’s quit this world my dear, and find ourselves an old one We’ll ship to Spain in crates marked Amor. and swim in the rivers and drink wine with the old men and wander the villas passing small vineyards, we’ll find olive skinned girls with thick black hair and sweet names that roll off our tongues like Sin. I want to taste the warm night air of Rome Romance through the streets we’ll find ourselves in a midnight mass at one of those big churches and that old man in the tall, white hat will see us falling asleep in a back corner pew but he’ll only [smile] holy grandfather to half the world. You want to see the island, so we cross a foggy channel among Foreign pilgrims and weekend drifters bounce listening for the long wail to ^ off tall cliffs Here the news doesn’t bother us, Pretending we only speak Canadian English Here old moss pines nestle between the rivers that we skip in impossibly long single bounds because Here superman doesn’t have to wear red capes or fake glasses or believe in an American Way Here the ground was so soaked in blood that people got tired and chose to love again Here is where we may find the courage to bring the love back with us in crates marked Amor. The trains and kindness will carry us. Hands Elizabeth Lora 11th Grade Pen and ink 14 15

The Elm 2016-2017 2017 The Elm Literary Magazine | Page 14