Bring the Troops Home

They willfully exile themselves from fight, turn into friendly sports their military training, warming their old cold beds. Save your charitable cause of lauding the warriors and the body bags, and save your tears too, they frighten the spirits, blind them with your waving flags, devour them with your open enthusiasm for the new recruits who bought into the fable, the fantasy that might rival the old St. Patrick's big bells. You may serve them with cups and cakes, bringing divinity to your noble cause, seldom think of war a place of heroism, of fancy, as long as it's far apart. You appear and speak only on stage, profiting from war's rage.