War Hero III

Photographs of children
were substituted for his emptiness
Agent Orange destroyed any chance
of ever fathering offspring;

they dug his grave

His wife could no longer sleep near him
episodes of attack would invade his mind
He would awaken in a trance
Violent, now buried deep into the hole
covering his head, while spurts of bombs
exploded-only he heard
There is no cure for this illness,
diagnosed as Shell Shocked

They dug his grave

Everyone he loved deserted him,
including his countrymen
He barricaded himself inside
the home, building a fort of metal scraps
Police found him wearing military attire
Decorations dangling across his shirt
Pistol clutched into his hand
He was trained to kill, so he killed
Peace was his only chance-called it a draw
They dug his grave

He was drafted at a young age
never experienced anything but pain,
now he is laid to rest
Another soldiers outlet

They dug his grave

Who do we blame
War-No End

Vanessa Ramos