How do you explain the aftermath of battle?
To someone who has never heard of war.
Yes, there is the blood and the bruises,
But I cannot explain how my brain is sore.

Just like you will never unlearn an answer:
I will never un-feel his hands around my throat.
The words were anchors on my ankles,
When to live I had to float.

Your body heals quickly,
And eventually so does your mind.
But you remain changed: a different person
Reminded by scars left behind.

It’s hard to fight the urge
To defend the person I learned to be.
The fight always has it’s tole,
even once you’re free.

When my brain and body fought in war:
I bled and burned and hid and cried.
And now all I can do is apologize
To the person who survived.