Armistice Day

In the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

Kaiser Bill threw in the towel,

threw in his spiked helmet,

said, 'I'm gone to Holland,'

said, 'Ain't gone study war no more.'

Bill, I can dig the fact

that without some kind of serious reinforcement

the mortal scuffle is too much.

I'm standing in front of the liquor store now,

which is closed because it's Armistice Day,

which has been changed to Veteran's Day,

which has been moved to October 25th,

because your trip struck someone in power

as archaic.

Bill, I don't care: I know

how you felt when you fled across the Rhine,

soggy, without benefit of reindeer.

I'm through, too:

ain't gone study war, nor love,

nor anything now, except snow and the other

obvious trappings of despair.

Everette Maddox