Supply Lines

By Mark Mitchell

 This pen is drained. The barrel’s dry.

A blind soldier wants his tale told

but the ink’s fading now. You’ll try.

 The pen’s an empty barrel, dry.

 Remember what he says, his eyes,

 blank. Useless. He’s young but looks old

 as this drained pen, A gun barrel, dry,

 blind with smoke, His tale won’t be—

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Mark J. Mitchell has been a working poet for 50 years. His latest collection is Something To Be.. A novel, A Book of Lost Songs is due April 8. He’s fond of baseball, Louis Aragon, Dante, and his wife, activist Joan Juster. He lives in San Francisco.

He can be found on Bluesky @MJMitchellwriter