Armed

I despise the weight in my hand,
the thunder of the bullets as
they hurtle toward targets, the
stench of exploding gunpowder.

I loathe the recoil that jolts my
fragile hands each time I pull the
trigger, the bite of the metal
casings ricocheting off my flesh.

And yet I practice my grip, and
adjust my stance. I aim, I fire.
I train. I research. I study.
We live in such dangerous times.









As a reporter, editor, business writer, and marketing communications consultant, F.I. Goldhaber produced news stories, feature articles, essays, editorial columns, and reviews for newspapers, corporations, governments, and non-profits in five states. Now her poetry, fiction, essays, and reviews appear in paper, electronic, and audio magazines, books, newspapers, calendars, anthologies, and street signs. Her fourth collection is Food*Family*Friends. She is based in Oregon. http://www.goldhaber.net