Alex Stolis

Self-Portrait of ICE Agent

Mom & Dad were high school sweethearts,
he served in ‘Nam, she waited in church,

our family tree khaki & blue. I grew up
uniformed; altar boy, scout, deer-hunter

camoed, All-State tackle. Took my girlfriend
to the prom, listened to Springsteen.

Saturday nights making out at the reservoir
Sunday morning services

praying for Jesus to surf back on a wave of fire & brimstone.

No way out, didn’t want to work at the plant,
ended up on the line anyway.

The only escape, to put on another costume
then huff & puff & blow the world down.

Now, this guy’s in my face, I see red
white & blue; fire once, twice

lose count. My brothers huddle around
slap my helmet & pat me on the back,

my brother is bleeding out on the sidewalk.

Alex Stolis has had poems published in numerous journals. His chapbook, Postcards from the Knife-Thrower’s Wife, was released by Louisiana Literature Press in 2024, RIP Winston Smith from Alien Buddha Press 2024, and The Hum of Geometry; The Music of Spheres, 2024 by Bottlecap Press. He lives in Hudson Valley of New York with his partner, poet Catherine Arra.