My family wishes for my return
from the plains
Harboring this old belief that
all good things are westward
And to rest within the middle
is to lack ambition
for greater things
While they believe
I am wasting potential
I strive to gain a better understanding
of life's simple pleasures
They always return to the shore
never striding too far
from seafoam and sunsets
I've wandered too far
and for too long
to ever find comfort
in the shadows of skyscrapers
or luxury in fool's gold
By all means,
stay within your defined edges
and remain nestled within
delusion and misconception
I'm quite content being lost
if lost is what you call this
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 latest episode with Kimberly Evans on the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we interview incredibly talented musicians, artists, writers, and theater professionals, who also happen to be veterans.
If you can’t wait to get back in the parlor with us, go ahead and reserve your seats for September, for Chris Soucy’s “The Absurdity of it All”. Chris Soucy is a VetRep resident artist and Army Veteran. He is a co-founder of Odd Lot Improv and the Savannah Shakes Theater Company, and has worked as an actor, puppeteer, writer, director, and filmmaker, with over 30 years of experience in the theater industry.