Kris Demien

What One Vet Left Behind

Nine Bibles
A dozen towels, washed, folded
and stacked on shelves in the bathroom
A clean tub, refrigerator, and stove
His grandfather’s tie clips,
cuff links and WW2 metals
A large jar of peppermint lifesavers

Half-dozen watch caps, one with a light in front
suitable for scanning a large parking lot
Half-dozen baseball hats in various sizes and colors,
one emblazoned with the word “Security”
in gold on the crown and brim
Three electric shaving kits suitable for beards
and heads with assorted guides for length
Several issues of Heavy Metal magazine
Four large boxes of paperback fantasy and sci-fi novels
Three cases of DVDs, mostly superhero adventures,
thrillers, and heist movies
Stacks of D&D game scenario notes
mixed with bank statements and personal records

T-shirts, some 40 years old, from Berlin,
Hawaii, Wisconsin, the Army, birthday gifts
A dozen pairs of black pants, waist-sizes
from 32 to 44, pants length always 36
Fifty pairs of socks, mostly black, some with ankle supports
Three pairs of work boots with thick treads

Photos of the family in random order
Prints of his children’s in vitro ultrasounds
in a baggy with locks of their hair
A small tin holding their baby teeth

Kris Demien lives with multiple species in Portland, Oregon. Her work appears in VoiceCatcher, The Poeming Pigeon/Sports issue and Willawaw Journal.