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Ellis Reyes Dec 2016
Before he was here
He would have said, "bereft of feeling,"
Now he says TBI

Before he was here,
Overwatch was a game.
Now it keeps him and others alive

Before he was here
He was a conscientious vegan.
Now he's an omnivore,
Devouring vacuum sealed inorganic meat byproducts.
With vigor

Before he was here
Musty was the damp basement smell-- endearing, familiar
Now it's the infection smell -- nauseating, familiar

Before he was here,
There was good and evil,
Now there are only shades of evil

Before he was here
She was there,
Always.
Now she is gone,
Forever.

Before he was here
Death was distant, clinical
Now it's cloying, visceral

He doesn't know if he'll be able
To return to the time before here
He doubts it.
A poem written with borrowed words: Bereft, Musty, Overwatch, Omnivore
tamia Oct 2016
trained to protect
armed in heart
dressed in courage
camouflage clothes
brave hearts
murdered unjustly
brave hearts
who were put down
by the gunmen
brave hearts
caught in the web of conflict
when they were the fearless
who only wanted
to keep us safe
for the fallen 44: the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force who were shot down by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. you will never be forgotten and we thank you for your bravery. we are sorry.
tracy Oct 2016
we've become a collection of bucket lists.
hypothetical "let's do this", "let's be here",
and "i'll go wherever you go."
but instead of marking minutes,
i'm marking miles. 3 states, 2 time zones,
and sometimes, an ocean apart.

but oh, my dearest, don't you know?
even when i'm here and you're there,
the sun still shines. the moon gets me home,
and every step i take is a step closer to you.

to my darling johnny, when your heart is weary,
when the days are brown and your eyes are tired,
rest easy. a parade is waiting for you. there is no
sadder, scarier, or more heartbreaking feeling than
loneliness. but dear john, you are never alone.

when days and days have passed and silence becomes
our preferred form of communication, your letters will come.
the bucket lists will turn into sticky-note reminders that someone
has you planted in her heart and allowed flowers to grow.
for all soldiers, including my own, abroad.
Francis Sep 2016
Marching up the hill with his fellow troops,
His insides are ready to burst with anticipation.
Growling and bubbling, his stomach seems to sound off as his hands quiver holding his rifle.
The soldier cannot turn back, as he must fight for his freedom against evil,
Though the art of having a choice has been long forgotten.

This soldier knows not of his fate.
He's petrified of what is to come,
Whether he survives or not.
If he dies,
He dies with honor,
yet he's not afraid of dying.
He's afraid of being forgotten.
If he survives,
He survives with honor,
Not expecting of a soul to recognize the sacrifice he has made for his own,
And failing to discover it as he lives on.

His beliefs are meaningless,
His pride is no longer relevant.
What requires quality is the strength to fight,
To fear no man aiming to take away his freedom,
And his life.

Facing what can be assumed as evil,
Yet never needing to know what true evil is really like.
The soldier has seen evil,
Evil awaits again willingly.
But he is not afraid.
This is more like it
Graff1980 Aug 2016
War is not a movie
but we make such a scene
dark gun metal monster machines
It’s a pattern of pitter patter
gun thunder shatters
all life and silence
leaving it destroyed
by your war toy madness

Battle ready vest
clings heavy to your chest
tanks clink and clank
from shrapnel and landmines
blowing more than just
your tired mind

megaton drop down
soldiers hit the ground
like tiny nuclear explosions
a mad marine invasion
propaganda says
we are there to save
and help them build a nation

In moments of rest
they pray to themselves
in battlefield dress
they beg to be
heaven blessed
for the god and country
they love best

we are lucky if one bad day
takes us to the next one
then we hit the worse one
bullet storms splatter
all that brain matter
face disfigured
sends dark cold shivers
while dead children
bleed red rivers

The military man
hands momma a flag
but that respect
won’t bring her baby back
stories over fade to black
ARI Aug 2016
Dear brother
It's been a while
Since I've had the
Chance to make you smile.

And I miss
The way it used to be
When we'd go
Driving; just you and me.

Blasting hours of music
Just 'cause we could
Screaming Taylor Swifts
"Our we out of the woods!"

Dear brother
It's been many months
Since the day that
You left us.

The promise you made;
Do you remember?
Saying you would
Often send a letter.

And our sweet mother
Bless her heart,
Still checks the mail;
It always tears her apart.

Dear brother,
It's me again.
I never guessed this
Is how your life would end.

The red, white, and blue,
Folded perfectly in
Mothers arms, for her son
Who's fight was true.

And the 3-volley salute
For the twenty-two
Too young in boots.
Twenty-two gone too soon.

Oh The 3-volley salute

-ARI
The clock is ticking
The commander is calling
At that time,
I really wish the clock will stop
So that I'll be forever holding your hand

We both smiling,
eventho' our heart was aching
In a sudden,
All of the manly man disappear
Again, for the sake of nations we both struggling

You always said it won't last forever
You always said you'll see me later
For me,
Those words repeated every day in my mind
Become the strongest word for the weakest heart

I always remember your smell
I always remember what you tell
Against loneliness,
Trying to lived day by day with memories that you left

Oh again I know,
There's always no good in goodbye
'Cause I'm always back to
The day you said goodbye
Malang, 20.13
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