The Remnants
-Collaboration with Justin Connor-
I should be joyous and glad
I should be drinking and celebrating,
But the images of the battle still play in my head
There is a part of me that is proud,
And another part of me that is sardonically laughing
I fought for the good of the world
Not for the pride that comes afterwards
Europe has been liberated from an oppressor
The most evil man I have ever known is now dead
But because of him, millions of lives have been ruined
Brainwashed to creators of chaos and bereavement
Families traumatized, bodies in the streets
Children, innocent children, stuck in the images
Of raging men and sobbing victims
The disturbing images now forever stuck in my brain
The remnants of war leave a mark
Far more agonizing than any bullet wound
But something good does come out of all of this
There is no need to fight
Nobody has to be scared anymore
Because we fought,
People can begin their lives again
The remnants will be cleared and families will be closer
Tears will be wiped, shoulders will be wept
But I will not celebrate with my friends tonight
I will return to my family
And allow them to embrace the remnants of a broken soldier
This war brought death and suffering
And I don’t know how people deal with both
Six years of tyranny have ended
And many years of pondering have begun
Evil was in this world
But good was here to fight
And good has triumphed over evil
To keep the world safe
Copyright © Laura Breidenthal | Year Posted 2012
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