Weekly Poem: 'Nonessential Equipment'

**By Jehanne Dubrow** The dog and I are first among those things that will not be deployed with him. Forget civilian clothes as well. He shouldn't bring too many photographs, which might get wet, the faces blurred. He only needs a set of uniforms. Even his wedding ring gives pause (what if it fell? -- he'd be upset to dent or scratch away the gold engraving). The seabag must be light enough to sling across his shoulder, weigh almost nothing, each canvas pocket emptied of regret. The trick is packing less. No wife, no pet, no perfumed letters dabbed with _I-love-yous_, or anything he can't afford to lose.   "Jehanne Dubrow":http://www.jehannedubrow.com/ is the author of three poetry collections: "The Hardship Post," "From the Fever-World" and most recently "Stateside," which is an exploration of the long history of military wives waiting for their husbands to return from war. Dubrow, who is married to an officer in the U.S. Navy, is an assistant professor in creative writing and literature at "Washington College":http://www.washcoll.edu/.