you said war
was a joke
except
you meant it
not a mean bone
in your body
all funny ones
made it harder
to break you
served
your country
for eighty-two years
minus the two
you spent
in the military
served
your country
a plate
of mirrors
and told us
to smile
served
black people
a glass of
ourselves
and told us
to drink up
if we were still
hungry