"Dotted Line" by Martha Collins

Dotted Line
by Martha Collins

Cut here, and the line
disappears, step up,

please, fill in the blank, Jesus
wants you for a sunbeam.

No to God? Then Someone's
coming, or can we piece it

together, with only our arms,
when they're armed to the teeth?

Last night, guns held
by the citizens killed the citizens

of a country, see, on this list.
We bought the guns, our money

burned the crops.
(But hey, kids, we're still

your folks-we name our planes
for girls, our bombs for boys.)

Torn paper, rip, slit where things
keep falling in or out, it depends

which side you're on-
But give us a hand

and we'll give you tow,
if you look the blank

in the face it's a door,
opening onto fields where wheat

is waving Hello, it's bread
for anyone's table, even yours.