"California Kid"

By Lani Hankins

It's cold
The kind that hurts when it grinds against the skin, abrasive
Scratching its way through every layer as it bites and burns

I'm lying here after my latest brush with a nervous breakdown 
Tired and battered by another long Winter
I use what little mental fortitude is left to focus my thoughts across time and space

Back pressed against an even colder surface
I fall almost into a trance watching clouds blow by, rolling
Like the ocean foaming as it greets the shore

The rustling of dead leaves replaces the absence of water lapping 
Waves breaking within a morning sky offers the same comfort as the sun setting upon a western horizon

Amongst the cold and darkness, within the difficult and unknown,
my mind, like a frightened child, always runs in the direction of home

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Lani Hankins is a former Army female engagement team member and a veteran of Afghanistan. Follow her here. Listen to the Savage Wonder episode with her here.

She blogs and podcasts at Kruse Corner.

Bunny: Poems About Surviving Military Life by Lani Hankins

Bottled Away: Confessions of a Struggling Veteran by Lani Hankins

The Gaslit Heart: A Story of Service and Survival by Lani Hankins

Eased Pain: Poems About Surviving Domestic Violence by Lani Hankins

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What’s happening at VetRep…

Catch our interview with Ben Cantwell on the Savage Wonder Podcast this week.

Registration is live for classes! We are offering Acting for Beginners, in person at our Quaker Ave. location, and Playwriting for Beginners online. Find more details and register here.

Big Thanks to all of you for getting us to the next round in the Best of Hudson Valley Readers Poll!! The next round kicks off March 9th.