Killed and killed

A true and sad story of the permanent wounds of war.

Killed and killed

On Friday night my father drank his rum.

He would come and wake me up late in the night.

I watched him and listen to his war stories.

He would start calling out to lost friends.

I would sit and pity him for his great pain.

.He drank every night to try to hide the burden.

He told me. " I enlisted son, I don't know why for Korea and stay a second tour.

The blood infested my soul.

I killed and killed.

I watched my friends die."

He would sit alone and talk to ghost of men left in un-marked graves.

I would carry him to bed.

He would whisper " they are not coming home."

My father had no fear.

He was a hard and cold man who loved laughter and woman.

God, those memories drove him crazy.

When he quit drinking he never talks of war.

He told me ' no-one cares about his time in the war.

He was another crazy Indian man killing for the USA.

Ain't no rewards now or then."

My father held all his Army decoration with great pride.

He was proud to defend his country.

He said " I know soldiers must fight to keep us free."

My father died a young man of 61 years old.

The old Soldiers came and gave him a 21 gun salute.

I wonder would he trade the nightmares and the blood on his hands to be clean of a war never won.

                       COYOTE

                     1998

Reviews

[Dakota]

So many in every generation feel no one cares about their time in war. The entire piece slammed home for me for reasons you're aware of, good friend. Your last line will probably remain one of life's unanswered questions. Would they honestly trade it all in for a moment's peace from the haunting regrets and nightmares? No matter what the answer is there are those of us who do care, wholeheartedly and to us their sacrifice will always matter. Thank you for this Coyote, thank you.

[Knackers]

Yet another great poem, so confronting.. our leaders send these young men of to do the dirty work and then forget about them when they return, more should be done to help these brave men.

[Lovely Lady]

Aswesome... i can't describe my emotion... but you truly touched me!

~♥~

[Bette]

another heartfelt piece. well done

[Dane Osborne]

A very real and moving piece. So much tortured humanity and the injustice of our condition. But yet.....poignant and empathetic. This is going into my favorites.

[B MacGregor]

Such things to remember.

Your interpretation? Sorry, it's required.

[Neisha Ann]

Wow. This is amazing. I was really into this, I didn't want to take my eyes off the screen, or even blink. Kudos!

[Wicahpi]

Sad. There is no beauty in war, for sure.
I liked that image of your father.

May your father be resting in peace now.
He deserves honor. God Bless x

[Audrie]

This is powerful. Our military doesn't really seem to give a s**t about our vets. my father was a military man in his younger years. He came home with scars on his body and mind They would never go away and would forever haunt him. Those flashbacks caused him to drink an immense amount of liquor daily. He would never speak about what he endured during his time in battle. We never asked. We just knew it His PTSD caused him to drown himself with alcohol. He died wondering what his life was and what it could have been.

[Vanna Renee]

Such a sad sad truth of life...
This is inspirational...
Absolutely great...
No one thinks about these truths anymore,
No one thinks about the men who died,
And it pains me to imagine someone who holds the memories of all these deaths...
I pray for your father.
Just knowing this, and this only,
I realize he's a great man.

[Chantel]

War...I hate to think of the scars it leaves on our brave soldiers....but we need to be reminded, thank you for writing this, it's very important.