Debut

The sand rallies under his boy feet

Ready to absorb the impact

Of the grenade launcher placed on his narrow child shoulders 

The waves step back to give him room

Applauding his auspicious debut

While his mind conjures up faces of imaginary enemies

Wired into his brain by a brotherhood of desperate men

Passing along a renegade tradition 

Of bloody Barbarossa and swift Barbary corsairs 

The pirate captain shouts fire

And the blue ocean turns dark red

From the explosion that topples him

But his father retrieves his proud son

And places victory kisses upon his burned baby cheeks

©kcasady2014