Gun

I am 14
In the 9th
Grade standing
In an open field in a
Subdivision houses all
Around listening to my friend
John explain how he loaded his
New air rifle pellet gun to hunt
Birds and he handed me the
Gun to fire at birds flying by
Overhead so I aimed the
Gun sighting aware of
The wind leading the
Bird but I did not fire
Pointing out that a
Shot here might
Miss then fall
Striking a
Kid or
Person
Or a window
Handing the gun
Back to him while he
Laughed at my caution
But he did not shoot either.
We were friends 7th grade to
Seniors always trusting the other
To make cautious decisions not
To mess up until he chose to
Volunteer for the Army sent
To Saigon the motor pool
As a mechanic threw his
Sergeant into the oil pit
And became a gunner
On the road trips to
The Highlands and
Turned to heroin
Taking his drug
Addiction back
Home where
It killed him
Though I
Tried to
Talk to
Him
He had
Changed
No longer the
Cautious young
Man holding a gun
As the birds swooped
Over us in a field in Texas.