Who Are You Swinging At? Abraham A. Joven
After Joseph Rios
“It’s like fighting ghosts, I think,” I whisper as my heart finally settles. Surveying the room that felt like home Now turned into a scene of horrors; Stranger to me after all of this, And I feel a stranger in it after all of this, And we just feel estranged. I never knew the man the way I’d hoped. And some time at some place, I know, I’d convinced myself I’d find him where He’d always been: The bottom of the bottle. Running was natural. Soccer was my favorite Sport and even though I hated the conditioning drills Or the long run days, I think the running On the pitch felt like second nature Because the air I’d take in And the space I’d cover All served to take me away from him. But when I’d run out of reasons not to Or spaces to hide from The question I was most afraid of, I’d finally relented. 27
