First Place in The Political Poet Poetry Competition

SOUND EFFECTS IN VISTA

Boom-ah-boom-ah-boom-boom.

The walls and tables quiver.

The F-18s are at it again,

Practice bombing the Whiskey

And Zulu regions of neighboring

Pendleton. They carpet bomb

While I’m stretched on the carpet.

Fluffy folds her ears, scrambles

For cover. They bomb through

Letterman's monologue—I pretend

The jerk next door's banging his drums.

The windows rattle like hippie

Tambourines. Newborn hawks

Scream at the planets and stars.

by Kirby Wright

About the Author Kirby Wright

Kirby Wright was born and raised in Hawaii. He is the author of the companion novels PUNAHOU BLUES and MOLOKA'I NUI AHINA, set on the islands of Oahu and Moloka'i.

He wishes to dedicate his poem to the memory of his father, Harold. S. Wright.