K a t i e L o n g o f o n o
Conceal and Carry
I found a soldier
and a war, some dirt
to sink my boots into.
I'm learning to shoot—
the lessons are always
about hips and kickback.
I grow new bruises
each day, beat myself
against the gun until
it empties for me. I pull
every trigger I come
across, learn to see
the world through
a scope, start worrying
bullets in the chamber
of my pocket, a nervous tic.
guest editor: Sara Biggs Chaney