Five siblings inherit a blanket. They lie beneath it, together, to stay warm.
          But arms and legs stick out and the siblings squabble and tug. They do
          not realize that they would all fit if they just moved closer together.

This is the Blanket Story. Poets, artists, and musicians have responded to this tale in creative ways. All poems appear here, our ONLINE POETRY SHOWCASE. Visit our main page to find out more about the project.

Shane Michael Manieri

My Father's Kind Knife

Printed on my blanket, soldiers
marched up and down
wearing helmets and camouflage, rifles on shoulders.
I’d hear the beat of their buttstock
as their weapons marked the spot.
I didn’t live in a wasteland
but a minefield.
He was going to show me
who was boss,
train me with his kind knife.
When I cried out
from my bed I’d hear: Be a man.
Oh father, next time you storm in
eager to dog and train me,
make my army come alive.