Shadows

We can't escape the bad or the good done in a life.

 





























Shadows
 
My sister told me. "You  have changed. "
She told me. "You saw too much s**t and your mind and eyes are cold.."
 
I told her,.
"War isn't personal.
You do what you are told. Try to forget and move on"
 
 I kissed her forehead.
I told her. "War was easy.
This world falling apart around me.
I don't know what to do.?
That the crazy s**t I don't understand."
 
Up in the morning before five.
We don't need no sunshine.
 Organization, discipline, three  square meals a day.
 Old SGT. say. "It will be all OK."
 
Young boss at work asked me too many questions.
 I told  him it is not for him to understand.
 
When you stand tall at attention. Salute a M-16, boots and helmet of a dead soldier.
You join a club.
The soldiers that lived must carry on with their buddies stories and memories.
Drink a beer on the day of their friends death. Can't allow them to be forgotten.
.
 
Lying on cold ground.
 Waiting for a hidden enemies.
 You slapped your magazine to insure it is loaded right.
 You light up a cigarette and hope all things will be alright.
 
Going to Iraq with my gun.
Going to kill some Iraqi sons.
 
 Generals sent Division of soldiers.
Names don't matter.
Reaching for more stars.
 
Mama and Papa sit by the phones.
Wife and family pray for the day their soldier come home safe and sound.
 
Soldiers talk about kids and woman.
Takes up most of our time.
 
No-one talks of dying.
 Ain't no race or religion.
 Protect your friend back and he watched your back.
 
Soldier do right and wrong things.
A lucky man can walk away from  all the s**t and forget.
 
The shadow of war find you one day.
 
 I stood with  a mother of my friend killed in Iraq.
  She  held me up.
 I saluted her son's gravestone.
 
I go to the corner bar with other Veterans.
Drink to friends not here and missed.

Maybe baby sister is right.
The shadows are always with me.
 
                                   COYOTE
                        

Author's Note

Old poem. Soldiers must insure the old one's are took care of. One day we will be the old one's. Any mistakes. Please assist.

Reviews

[E.H. Monroe]

we have this vision of what happens "over there". then the folks "over there" come back here, we throw a parade and then tell em to f**k off because we have better things to do. The war against the enemy is just a war against people who were raised by different fathers and mothers, different gods and rules.
and that creeping shadow of war..s**t man i dont even know that f****r..but i know guys and gals who do, and he is a rancid drinking buddy who runs his fingers down a scar on his face and reminds you you havent seen the s**t like he has. well f**k him.
never any mistakes in a coyote piece...just reality that makes real go...damn that s**t is real.

i salute you sir

[John Anderson]

Wonderfully written and powerfully delivered. Well done!

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you John. Real life is more scary than fiction.

[Apatheia]

This is so good. I like how you made it very visual.

[Kanchan Ojha "Eureka"]

Amazing Coyote..A well composed storyline :)

[trainwreck]

This was a very moving piece. Every piece of yours I read reveals a deeper understanding of the world and the way things change, yet stay the same. Thank you for your service. You are an honor to our country.

[Coyote Poetry]

Thank you for reading. A hard poem to write. Some words must be written down to understand life and death.

[trainwreck]

I can understand that. I know there are many things I've only made sense of after I wrote it all out.

[Amber "Victoriomantic" ..]

It is good that the soldiers have the bonds you do, and the friendship and the trust. But to have a light in the darkness, first there must be darkness.

[Scandalous]

We salute you for your work. With a pen, as well as with our countries men.

~ Scandalous

[Mark]

Loved it John, raw and honest as all your writing is.

[MaddyHi]

THIS IS AMAZING... I love the detailing of how your sister is right, and how you don't get to complain about dying in war, your sister says that you weren't acting yourself, in the end, you realized that she's right! Amazing piece!

[Hazel Eirian]

More of whats already been said, but this is powerful, haunting. Stylistically, the form fits, i think. Hard hitting and very real.