Out here upon the hilltops and beyond
the endless sea of grass, time is frozen
amongst a slow-moving tide.
History has been burned into this land
of flint and fire, like an iron
pressed into the hide.
Full of old ruts and the dilapidated remnants of
frontier-bound embellishments,
these plains have been carved and scored
like tooled leather, beautiful
and meticulous.
Howling winds and summoned rains
expose the limestone skeleton
intricately woven into this untamed turf,
which is only to be roamed or ridden
but never conquered,
as it calls to the cattle, cowboys,
and wild at heart
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
What’s happening at VetRep…
Listen to our interview this week with Ivan F. Ingram on the Savage Wonder Podcast.
VetRep is thrilled to present “God of Carnage” by Yazmina Reza for the month of September. A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
Tickets have been selling out, reserve yours early before they’re gone!
On November 4, 2023, world-class guitarist (and military child) Michael Bard will be performing at Carnegie Hall – and a portion of the proceeds will go to VetRep! Get your tickets here.
We are currently offering multiple dates for our online Playwriting for Veterans classes, and our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.