Shells of War

For two people I love very much :

A 4 year old fell asleep on my lap last night
this 4 year old who 4 years ago wasn't even promised a life
but it was negotiated for him
now has a father whose life wasn't guaranteed either
sent away to war never returning home again to see him
see his body was returned but it pumps isicles through bloodstreams now
cold is his vision now
hard is his soul now
and he keeps the flag that he fought for in a chest
his chest heaves in distorted fantasies and breadth now
he offers no solace to anyone now
this empty cavity had a wife
a mother to this 4 year old who was told that everything would work out alright
and on the day he came home from Iraq she welcomed her husband back
to their new home and offered him riches that no work could sew
but a family and life with warmth and love
See they've sent away our fathers our sons and lovers
and return them when they are used up and broken
seen one too many explosions
killed one too many innocent men
cradled one too many lifeless friends
and all we are left with are shells of heros
who chose to get a free college education to avoid future struggles
who were promised job security and benefits for their families
but our government neglected to mention that war was on the horizon
that death is a fatal nemesis who doesn't profile its' victims
they've strapped weapons to their backs and told them to bring back the opposition
dead not alive shoot twice and don't look back
these are not people here
but our soldiers saw hope in Iraqi eyes
men and women with families and lives just as precious as yours and mine
but they still pulled triggers
still followed orders
writing letters home because they can't understand what they've been fighting for
now or troops hang head low in shame
they've shot bullets like it were a video game
desensitized to avoid the pain
but now home agian
flashes of fire and truth constrict and restrict them
they've killed our heros and brought back blank men
who abandon wives and children
who no longer know how to live in civilization
two weeks to debrief is what the military calls for
two weeks cannot cure them of blood splattered memories
or convince them that killing in the name of any country is all right
and now this little boy wakes up crying at night because he doesn't know that his daddy
came back
back last Christmas he was told stories of a hero
a man who was doing more for a world than we could do
A MAN who was honorable
but now, now he cries when he sees him, doesn't recognize when he sees him
this man once whole holding the whole world in his palm depleted hope in rounds of rapid fire as we all slept sound not knowing what was to come