We're soldiers
Forced to follow orders
Stiff upper lip, strong back, mindless drones
Born into a war zone of broken trust
And mispoken words that damage like bullets
They never miss their mark
So we can't either
We fight their war
We shut up, do what needs to be done
Forget emotions, forget the sacrifice
Don't question the battles
They need to be fought and won at any cost
It's not okay to have emotions
It's not okay to be human
That will only lead you into trouble
That will only lead to more questions
Follow commands, do what we're told
We're soldiers and we have our orders
Never let anyone see the emotional side of you
Because we're only soldiers
And any weakness could get you killed
Out here, in the strange, foreign land
Of dysfunction and crumbling families
And when we start our own
We'll continue the war
Generation to generation
Father to son, mother to daughter
Because once you're born into a war
You can never leave it behind
Author notes
I was born into a highly dysfunctional family, and I've only just fully realized the damage it's done and the amount it's going to cost in the future.
A contest entry
- Im Here If You Need Someone That Cares by storiesuntold.
925 points, ended November 28, 2008, 28 entries
Gold trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Give me anything! by ASmileForYou.
560 points, ended December 16, 2008, 138 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think?
Comments
-
Good job! you really captured numerous emotions in this!
-
Wow.
At first I thought it started a bit like "Saving Pvt. Ryan" but then it changed...PTSD is obviously the result of your forefathers' experience. Yes, it would make sense to have a highly disfunctional family from that - people with PTSD (inc. me) just don't know how to cope, esp. on their own. Yes, it's a high price to pay. Very good poem. Something that should be sent to your local congressman/woman for moving them to help pass more psych./emotional assistance to our service men and women when they come home, to decrease this ever-growing trend.
-
amazing
beautiful poetry. i love the illustrations. so beautiful. its like i can here your voice right here... and its so true. and sometimes the families that seem the most picture perfect are some of the most twisted. u hav my luv.
-
You have taken the first step to your freedom
To realize the wrongs about us is the first step to freedom you so seek . Every family has their war zones some are those who went before us and so often becomes lost once they return for it is something that never ends within their minds .They cant talk to the family about it for they could never understand it unless they had been there . And yes the secrets that you swear never to speak of through the government that often eats away at the soul and like a shadow of such doom follows you yet only you see it . Talk to me anytime and If I can help you I will not give up forever and a day .I am the ears you so need to releave the pains stored within I will hear you and not judge for we all so need an outlet to feel the freedom we so seek . My husband went two terms in vietnam and it was years before he would even talk a little bit about it for most of what happened he left there for he told me its not something you want to bring back home its left there on the fields of the war zone the place they sent us to keep this country from ever having to see the evil it so holds .Talk to me Im here every day I will help the best way I can
Adding your comment:
