Rifle At The Gate Poem by Bill Grace

The guard at the gate
had his black rifle slung
across his chest, I commented as
I showed I.D. -
he said nothing.
Wear showed it was not recent issue.
It fires 700 to 950 rounds a minute
minus reload time for changing magazines.

In thirty five years
around the organization
I have seen this
only once before state side.

It was on a military base in California
to let the gang boys know
if they planned to storm the base hospital
to off the opposition
in protective custody
they had a fight on their hands.