mommies teach your baby boys

to smile at the teeth of the war machine

and not to cry when those teeth

grind them into bits

daddies tell your smart little sons

to go and fight for the cause

because, well just because

that’s what brave little boys do

do as you’re told and not as you think

forget what might be right and wrong

remember what keeps you alive

come back broken and different

and not the least bit yourself

but just tell yourself,

at least my parents are proud.