meditation on the crippling of a soldier - - for Sergeant Kevin Shear for every soldier

its all death or glory one for the country. they talk to a laying down of life for freedom, for countrymen, for honor; a soldier serves for what a brochure guarantees while the VA is lined with wounded, cockroaches and petty denials of tender love, care and service. the pain from breathing and muted reminders and scars hidden by hopes, forgotten glory. the VA stinks of piss and abandoned soldiers fields lines with wounded, screaming in agony they sign willing to die, they sign willing to live, but bombs do not kill outright bullets do not kill outright fire does not kill outright the soldier, on the other side, does not kill outright. left staggering, some walking some talking, some seeing, some not, everyone comes home dead, crippled, mentally rearranged not one escapes unscathed. thank you for your service, sorry about the leg now get a job or go away become the problem of another department, become the burden of back alleys and homeless shelters and remember: poster boys and girls are actors, clean recruits and we have forgotten there is worse than death.