you’re just a stupid child
she coos
in broken English, mixed in
with some French
swirling around
in there
like strong
Vietnamese coffee
you will never understand
and
she’s right
I never will
I have the same
dull blue
gunmetal eyes
as my father
who flew F-4’s over lush
countrysides
dropping fire:
American fathers
always
pour lighter fluid
over 4th of July
bbq coals
saving grace
I counter
my grandfather
was
a real Georges Guynemer
flying breathtaking
Immelmann
maneuvers
at the world’s fair in Paris
so beautiful and perfect
and terrible
he nearly toppled
the Eiffel Tower
god help me
it runs through my veins
all of it.
