Veteran's Day

November 11
Moaning

Why does it seem that there's
always trouble with the VA?
Some guys won't be admitted, or
recognized, or some guys can't
get adequate payment for their services?

Why is it that veterans get hit the hardest?
They come home torn, some limbless,
some friendless,
some suffering the repercussions of killing a man,
of seeing one of their men killed.

The suicide rate among vets is great,
just as the rate of vets that died due to complications from wounds in
the war.
Do you recall Ira Hayes?
The soldier at Iwo Jima,
died of alcoholism, he did,
on the bleak reservation he came home to
after fighting for our country- our men in suits
and women in ball gowns and
yachts and
estates and
horse farms and all.

I sit, moaning over my love troubles,
while my friends' brothers and cousins and fathers and sisters
are over in some alien land,
carrying guns,
fighting so I can moan about love some more.

They get little thanks.
They have to fight- even when they come home,
for a decent compensation- a check,
some pills to help them fight their memories,
anything.

And I just moan about love some more.