It’s hard to bring us to humor
and call us back.

The listener always prefers
to stay.

Though I worry,
this is ultimately

what gives me hope for the world,
that some mother and soldier will die

and the one who operates the machinery
will laugh.

:Like swiss cheese: he’ll say,
:or shredded beef taco:

The joke doesn’t have to be any good.

And this is what comforts me.

The joke doesn’t even have to be good.

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