white room, no. 1 (with public domain photos)

 

torture (illustration by brian cronin)

 

in the white room

painted grey

i wait

with anxiety

blindfold tightly constricting

visions and arousing fear

 

the brutes know their business

learned in fort bragg

among others

one questions you

two others provide

bromance relief

 

interrogation is

indeed a game

slam dunks are rare

one has to concede

some points

to get ahead

in the game

 

 

one has to learn, fast, that is

to act as if

crippling deathly pain

was delivered by the other

once you’ve realized

you’re more useful

to them

alive

than dead

you’re ahead, though,

only for the time being

 

 

i’ve learned

to exploit that window

to its hilt

looked out of it

so many times

for the light

drew strength

from comrades

going through

the same ordeal

assured too

since you were

not there

with me.

 

 

© crazy horse poetry