Poems from the Zone

       Military & Marriage

The military is good for a marriage

Once I had deployed

A close mentor once told me this,

But in not so few of words:

“When I go away, I miss my wife dearly

When I finally get home, we’re clearly in a honeymoon phase

Once that begins to wain

I’m leaving all over again

And so this cycle repeats itself.”

The military is good for a marriage

Eventually I came to understand

When I am home for a time, and we begin to bicker

I think to myself;
I believe it’s time to go again

All the time I seem to be away

I miss birthdays, anniversaries and holidays

But our love doesn’t fade

I will soon be home again, we will continue having honeymoons

Until my time to serve is up

          I will not regret our time apart

          I’ve come to understand,

          The military is good for a marriage

~by Cameron Beadle

____________

Must Stay Awake, by Gary C.
Cover! Implies the idea that bombs are abroad
Lover! Implies that Jody has major disregard
For who you’ve claimed back at home
has been replaced with foreign lands all alone
 conversational closure from a telephone
substitutes awareness in a combat zone
the ideology of God becomes odd as rounds ring
life on the motherland transpires as gunshots sing
heaven and hell aren’t up for debate
let me make it back home before it’s too late
one wrong move determines my fate
as the rhythm of my heart rate decides to elevate
I contemplate over my greatest mistake
Can’t afford to sleep, must stay awake
For the lively hood of my soldiers is at stake.
_____


Mother Soldier, by Taryn C.

Early mornings and late nights
For them I'll make that sacrifice
Missing school plays and soccer games
I've made my choice so I can't complain
Birthdays come but often I'm not there
Missing one too many is what I fear
Wish I could be there to tuck you in
but I've missed bedtime once again
I feel guilty for the time I'm away
but I am sure this sacrifice will make a way
to be the soldier I set out to be
As well as the mom you see in me
______


'I Should Be There,' by Omar G.

Why am I here I don’t understand?
I was promised adventure, they said id see a new land,
I should be there, where stories are made
instead of relaxing in this nice Florida shade.

I was trained for a reason, a chance to save lives
but instead I get a clinic, I was told only lies.
I should be there, where the real corpsman are.
instead I get patients who drink heavily in bars.

It hurts when I pee the young sailor cries.
its clear to see he left the hotel with a prize.
I should be there, there’s no mistake
Instead I help a soldier who says his tummy aches

my throat hurts when I swallow, I think that I’m sick
I’m stuck in Pensacola what a horrible pick.
I should be there, where the guys call me doc
But instead I sit here staring at the clock

A Colonel walks in, Good morning I say
How can I help you in this wonderful day?
This patient is different is easy to tell
You can tell from his face that he’s been through hell.

I’ve been back for six months he tries to explain
I can’t fall asleep, with these thoughts in my brain
I should be there, he begins to cry
I left my men stranded surely, they’ll die.

My wife thinks I’m crazy, she says that I’m stressed
She doesn’t understand that I belong with the rest
I should be there he tries to explain
Please give me some pills to get rid of this pain

This man is a hero, its simple to tell
But has a look on his face, you can tell he’s not well.
I should be there, I used to believe
But instead I help heroes who are trying to greave

We all do our part, some give more than the rest
But I know well that I helped the best
I will be here waiting for others
And I’m glad I could help the men I call brothers.
______

'Boots,' by Niara S.

They touched the dry sand as the sun blazed above them carrying the fear I held as the clock had just started. All my wants and desires to go home dragged behind me as the days went on. That is the weight they carried.

From the days I couldn’t take it to the days I slept through, they never came undone. The night we mounted up and put all our trust into God’s hands. They got harder to lift with all of the things that flashed through my head. But yet and still they carried me.

They kept me down when my mind wandered and my heart was heavy. From the ‘home of the brave’ to the ‘land of the oppressed’ they stayed by my side. They held my darkest moments and heard my strongest laughs, for they kept all my secrets. As the days ended and I closed my eyes I breathed a sigh of relief.

But no matter what, my boots, they carried my weight for me.

______

My Brothers, by Meghan C.

I wished to fight along side you "my brothers,"
I served my country, but my sacrifice 
was somehow never your equal.
I weaned my infant from my breast,
A month later I covered them with the same uniform, 

and my shoulders with the same patches as you 
and I boarded that white bus.
Before dawn broke, my baby slept
as I slung my M-16 over my shoulder.
She awoke that morning; and her mother was gone.
You all laughed about how you would miss your babies, 
but your wives were there to hold them safe and sound. 
Safe with their mothers? What assurance did I have?
A twenty three hour flight, a twenty three hour river of tears I wept.
I wiped my face, and changed my soaking bra, 
trying to command my body to forget what I had just done.
A woman’s body can never be as numb as yours “my brother”.
If I cry, I am weak and emotional.
If you cry, “my brother”, you are war torn and broken.
If I can’t hump that 80 lb ruck, I am weak.
I am one hundred pounds!
No sympathy from you, “my brother”, 
as my shoulders crack, my hips turn black and blue, 
and I slide on my blood filled boots, soaked from the blisters.
I bear my load as a Soldier.
I watch you, “my brother”, as you refuse to hold the door for me,
NO SPECIAL TREATMENT.
As you leave the DFAC, I see you hold it open 
for all your brothers to pass through.
Do you remember that “my brother”?
Remember me in my humiliation as I sawed off the top 
of a gatorade bottle to piss in, 
and you hit the brakes for me to spill it all over myself?
Our “brothers” looked on as we exposed ourselves 
to the Afghan countryside in search of relief.
We are vulnerable.
We are exposed.
We are STILL WOMEN.
You broke my heart last Veteran’s Day, when you proudly posted on your wall 
a banner to all your “brothers in arms”.
For your sacrifice.
And I must say, “What about your sister?”
I am an afterthought.
That night outside Shank?
I was there too.
Remember? How I thought the RPG’s were fireworks?
That’s how green I was.
I too watched him bleed upon the road.
I sobbed silently in my truck in the dark, 
as you all gathered somewhere else to mourn.
I was alone then “my brother”.
But I felt the same terrors as you.
I swallowed the same lump in my throat.
I carry the same lonely burdens of war.
I trekked the same miles, wore the same rank,
burned the same diesel fuel, made the same mistakes.
Ate the same shitty food, laid awake at night.
But somehow, you think I asked for it?
I bear the same ragged scars that will never heal, “my brother”.
I pray you would never treat your real sisters this way.
-Hooah-

________ 

These Harsh Places, by Adrian J.

These places are harsh, the days are long,
the people have kind faces, which ones
want to do me harm, no time to ponder...
Sleeping on rocks,
sleeping in an abandoned castle of Alexander the Great,
sleeping and hoping not to be woke by explosions,
I think to myself "9 more months, then 6 .. then 3,"
then on a flight home, I shred the warrior
and bury him deep for no one to see.
The warrior has no place in this world.
He only knows death.
I only wish for life and the pursuit of happiness.
I embrace my wife, kiss my newborn.
My wife's tear smeared all over my cheek,
we are finally one again...
Aren't we?

___________

My fear, by Shawn H.
I live in constant fear.
Not the fear of being shot or blown up.
This fear is internal, everlasting and all consuming.
It controls my every thought.
It commands every moment of my life.
It is the fear that I will not be able to contain what is inside.
The anger the hatred the lust for battle.
This unwavering need to be in a place 
I once loathed but now yearn for.
The need to once again have a purpose, to have a mission.
The fear that I will not be able to hide who I truly am.
The fear that my family will not be able to understand me.
The fear that I don't understand me anymore. 

 ___________

War:  A Soldier’s Game, By Jerry A.

 

Growing up we played the game, war is fun!

Running through the woods, jumping out of trees was all for me.

When the Army called, I said SEND me.

Training was a blast; we all learned new things and made good friends.

When the towers fell we were all gung-ho and ready to go!

We said we would go anywhere to do anything 

and we were more than ready.

They said we’d go over and free a people who were oppressed.

Killing was what we had learned to do, 

what for some was hard at first became just another day at work.

Through the streets of Iraq and Afghanistan we went, 

killing those for whom we were sent.

Young and old, boy or girl; they were all the same,

 looking to take my life before I could take theirs.

In the end who was to blame?

To hear families cry, to hear them curse, 

it was the same coming from home and over there.

Losing many friends and the ones we love, we had to ask will it end?

The war, the pain, the memories both good and bad, 

just make them go away.

How can something we love so much hurt so many?

As a kid, running through the woods and jumping from trees, 

who would have thought it would happen to me.

What was once fun became so real,

 the losses were great and none will soon forget.

All gave some and some gave all.

The game we played, war; was fun no more.

________ 

 A Wife's Welcome Home, by Michelle L.

Roses are red, violets are blue
I’m so glad your home, and your daughter is too.

You’ve been in for five years, and we’ve shed many tears.
Our marriage has grown stronger, but we can do this no longer.

You’ve served you time with honor and pride.
But we all know well, it’s been a rough ride.

The time has come, for us all to move on.
A life free of worry, knowing you’re not gone.

Thank you for your service, as well as your love.
Enjoy civilian life, there's a lot more to come.

________



One Night, by Monaliza G.
 
The sounds of sirens got louder and louder,
With every “boom” you heard, “incoming” being yelled
To the top of everyone’s lungs that were near you.
You hear it. You see them in the sky, like a fireworks show on 4^th of July.
You run as fast as you can to closest haven of safety you know.
You see everyone praying, even the local nationals were praying with you.
Then the quietness came, you hear whistling as the rounds hit the ground.
You wait in this safe place, until everything is dead silent.
The siren then comes saying, “all clear.”
You go for accountability to make sure everyone is fine.
You go back to your room and hope it will be done for at least that night.
Next thing you know, there it goes again, “incoming, incoming!”
Everyone jumps out of their bed with their weapons in hand.
You try to look at the sky, to see where the rounds are hitting,
To make sure you’re going in the right direction.
Again goes the silence.
And again with the whistling.
And again with the accountability of personnel at your rally point. 
You thought everyone was fine.
Until later on that night, not everyone was fine.
Everyone is thinking what could have we done to save this life?
How could we have avoided this?
Why should somebody have to die?
It only took one night, everyone’s lives were not the same.
Everybody was not the same after that one particular night.
Not even myself.

________  

A Mother's Love
I wrote this poem to my daughter while I was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and was really scared about flying out to conduct missions on the day of my birthday. Unless you've been in the fight, no one knows what a Soldier goes through on a daily basis while deployed. I lost one of my good friends while deployed and could not imagine how her family, especially her little girls, experienced it.

A mother's love never goes away
No matter the distance and time spent away or apart
The love she has for you always remain in her heart
She hopes you understand the decisions she's made
Hoping to show you and give you brighter days
No matter the situation and circumstance
I relys on God to keep us in his hand
Mommy loves you and will be home soon,
Mommy's Princess Breonna!

___________

Choices, by Danny E.

One choice you make

Could take your life 

It all starts and ends with your right hand

A journeys end on a field of wet grass

The last smell of your mitt and a trophy’s new brass

The new life begins 

How quickly you grow up 

That brass now replaced by ribbons and medals

You run, You jump, You train, You fight

It’s not knowing where you’ll go 

Sometimes it happens quick in a blink of an eye

The lost love of family once near,

Now is accompanied by someone you hold dear

Military compassion is anything but compassion

There is a wife, kids, and dogs that make five

Anniversaries, Birthday’s, and holiday’s are missed

But reminds you to cherish the simple days in life 

To a military member each day now counts 

A moment wasted and not spent in a bliss,

Can’t be made up for the next day’s aren’t promised

Four hemispheres, Four tours, Four separate events

The zings, the flares, the booms, the sirens

Like the dangers around you

Each choice counts on both ends

The ceremonies on the long dusty roads filled with salutes on each side

The casket waits for the loved ones back home

A friend now gone and you find yourself in white gloves

The last shot now heard and in the cold air it echoes

Its dark, you pray and seek to find peace

Pictures remind you of your other life almost forgotten

The plane lands down and how quickly you change

A second ago it was dark and now there is light

Holding a wife and your kids at your side 

You run, You jump, You train, You fight

And you hug them and tell them you hope this is the last time

The kids are getting older and start asking questions

No longer can they remain in ignorance, for they know

Something, someone is missing and they want you to come home

This journey is only half way through yet it feels like forever

The choices you make in life they count

As soldiers we make them everyday

My choice is as a follower, a husband, a father, and a soldier 

We are one and we choose to live.

________  

The enemies of war, by Jesse D.   

I faced the enemy unharmed; 

I faced the enemy machine gun to machine gun; 

I faced the enemy machine gun to Rocket Propelled Grenade; 
I saw the enemy lying dead, 

lifeless after attempting to kill my fellow warrior.  

It is fun to do; but it is never fun when it is done to you; 

you will forever see the faces of those you kill, 

and the fallen brother next to you.   

The life of a Soldier is not easy.   

 ________ 

As I Watch, by Lakendra B.

I wrote this poem from my heart. I never though of expressing my thoughts though poetry, but reading the one that was posted inspired me.

As I watch!
You hear a boom
Watch out there's body
Wait! I hear a Scream
No! Oh NO! Blood
Look at my brother lay here
As I watch, What's Next
Please hold on, I love you I said
Blood coming from the eyes and mouth
I love you, As I watch
Yes he is still breathing, As I watch
Hold on I say
Wait Boom! Boom! Another Body
As I watch, my sister arm and leg's fly
Oh No! I cry I love all my brothers and sisters
As I watch, them all bleed
Hold on solider help is coming
They say ok ! As I watch
My sister  and brother are gone to safety
As I watch
 I love you as they leave
 As I watch, life is not promise
As I watched I said a prayer to my God
As I watch !!

These seem like just simple words but they are so true and dear to me. I said to watch people die because of a war they was never apart of. I feel that government needs to just leave it all only and stop the killing. I do love everyone and I hope you enjoy.
________

The life of a Soldier, by Marisol T.

Being a Soldier means long working days
It means not being able to do whatever you want whenever you want
It means to make sacrifices for the best of the country
It means to spend long months away from your loved ones.
Being deployed means missing home
Missing the loved ones
Missing your baby’s first steps
Or the baby’s first birthday
Or not being there for the birth of your child
It means being alone for the holidays, not being able to spend it with the family
It means spending all day hoping nothing bad happens
Hoping that no one attacks so we can make home safe
Deployments aren’t always the worst
Sometimes you’re in a safe environment
But even then you have to worry about all those fellow Soldiers who aren’t
All the Soldiers who are on missions and away from safety
All the Soldiers who are out there fighting
All the Soldiers who really are in danger, 
praying that they could make it another day.
 For all those who really had it bad I commend you
I commend all the Soldiers who spent nights with no sleep
Those who had no water to bathe in
Those who didn’t have all the nice good meals
All those who simply had no good bed to sleep in
Or all those who spent countless days or even weeks without 
being able to speak to or see their loved ones.
All those who actually had to fight or got hit with IEDs.
And for those who didn’t make it back, I thank you for what you have done, 
and to their families I am so deeply sorry for their lost.  
____________


'Boots On The Ground,' by Maebhaaya O.

Boots on the ground, Where is my Brother!
Blasts all around, Where is my Brother!
Where are is my Brother, Where is my Sister!
Scream out, Brother
Scream out, Sister
I see fire all around, Where is my Brother!
Hey Doc, We need you, We need you! Where is my Brother!
I can't, I can't move, what do I do, Where are you my Sister!
Tables all around, MASCAL! MASCAL!
but, Where is My Brother!
"Pull it together, Soldier" I say to myself.
"Hey Battle, what's the injury coming my way" I say.
He replies "Double amputation of both legs, possible TBI,
strap metal in back": Where are YOU God!
I turn to the injured, I see...I see my Brother!
Oh, Brother I had no idea I would smile with You yesterday
to say Goodbye today.
Those injuries, Those wounds, I should have had them too,
Laying next to you, My Brother!
Days go by and bring you home.
Sister, oh Sister! I cry with Her.
When I cried out for Him, I cried out for you, too Sister!
You were not just a Wife, You are Our Sister
and I know he is physically gone.
But Sister you still have Us! My Brother Lives Forever!
Valor, Honor, Courage, Service!
My Brother Possessed them All!
Forever My Brother!
Forever My Sister you will Be.
Forever Family!
Forever ArmyStrong!
__________

A Shot In The Dark

It was a late summer’s night in northern Iraq,
Preparing for the mission, for this midnight attack.
Inspection of ammo, of water, of gear
Was done through the night as the battle drew near.
We mounted our trucks and loaded our guns
We crept real slow, in route to the fun.
We got to a point where we dismounted our trucks
To get to our spot to establish a block.
We skirted the river, in search of a pass
We crossed a man-made bridge, made of bundled straw grass.
As we neared our objective, my men were on edge
Then flashes of light broke the darkness as bullets whizzed by our heads.
We returned fire, got down, took cover, and then
When the gun fire ceased, I checked on my men.
One soldier hit, a bullet through his hand
A flesh wound I told him then my eye caught a glance.
Something was moving at the top of the bank
Dressed in all white and his head scarf was black.
I took aim and I shot, he dropped like a sack
No time to assess, we were ordered to pull back.
The gentle breeze of a bullet, like a nice warm breath
Such a sobering sensation when you’re inches from death.

~by Ike D.