I am a soldier
A hero
I hide the hurt from all
I am a man.
Tall and true.
I do not mean to do this to you.
I have lost all that I know
Pushed everyone away
I thought I could manage
Keep everything intact
But once I got back
Everything was Iraq
Shadows follow
Knocks on the door
The pain is there
Though I'm not on the floor
I can not focus
I can not love
I can not be there for my little girl
It hurts to see what I have done.
The pain put on to her
She's all grown up
And I was not there
To wipe her tears
I am drowning
In the pain that I endured
I know it is impossible
But there is hope.
I know it is true
I can not find a way
Don't want to admit
The things I've seen
The places I've been
The images etched within
I am scarred and battered
I am a wounded warrior
My injury isn't visible to the eye
No limbs missing
No physical concerns
I have what haunts
Day in
Day out
The pain that resides
Washing over me with each passing tide
Awakening what was believed to be dormant
I am not me
I am changed
War did this
But I will always want more
You can call me crazy
But I do not care
I am a soldier
I will always bear
The pain of the world
Civilians evade
To bring this world
A better day.
