David Iglesias has been one of Wheaton’s alumni who have hit the broader news on occasion, especially more recently. He is known for several things, such as being the inspiration for Tom Cruise’s character Lt. Daniel Kaffee in A Few Good Men, a writer, and a United States Attorney (later fired in a political firestorm), however poet has never been listed among his credits. Before this.

While a student at Wheaton College Iglesias wrote a poem that was published in Wheaton’s Kodon literary magazine.

The Lawn Sitting Laotian Woman
David Iglesias

Squatting Buddha and
pretzel-like, the Laotian
woman remains passive,
unaware of her
manicured lawn.

Her turban hides
thoughts of steamy Laotian
nights,
and yellow parchment
eyes see past the colonial
brick buildings
to
pictures of huts, chickens,
slash and burn sunsets,

While others wear rouge
(Revlon), she thinks of
Khmer and blood.

Pipe going, eyes Mekong-
ward, the Laotian woman
squats by the hour and
blinks.