John & Marty's Tree Fort & Pirate Club (no girls allowed)

we sat together
in the green
shadows
with a six pack
of Strawberry Crush
between us
on the warped
& mismatched boards.

he was very quiet
& I was halfway
through my fourth
issue of Captain America
before he dried his eyes
on his sleeve,
looked
up & said,
"The swamp
ate my brother,

he was bad."