[RCL]

Boots That Wore John Doe

A baby, too-tight booties wear him.
At ten, it’s second-hand clodhoppers
saying, We’re poor and we can’t win!

A teen, skips school and hears about
the low-cost Army Surplus stores,
where he’s loved by combat boots.

School tosses him when he wears camo
boots, and parents lock their doors,
but boots keep walking this John Doe.

Led by boots to Army Recruiters,
his physical and mental scores
kill his dream of being a warrior.

A drinking pal hypes armed militias,
and new boots march him with the killers
sent to deny the bogus POTUS.

At the Capitol he shoots
with traitors worn by bloody boots.

USA 2021