Peace At Last

when the war was finally over they placed flowers into the heated barrel of his battered cannon gathered condolences and dropped poppies upon unmarked graves and pompous shrines he was a lucky one who escaped the inferno scarred tired and weary of explosions in his mind they pinned a few medals and ribbons onto his chest held celebrations and parades and glowed in victory lost in action and deprived of freedom many times he never surrendered and followed mad orders took a few lives for glory freedom and survival now he was confined to a wheel chair of anger a young veteran who gave all for his country for insanity gods and industrial military complex a shining example of the pursuit of delusion and greed a hero hooked to the needle and food banks in return youth spent at the frontline near hell’s entrance a wife who divorced him while soldiering on with kids ashamed of the cripple he was he lingered on between hatred and pain a bit late for brave conscientious objection self-help books from charity to cover his wounds the page of his life crumpled the dust jacket torn he finished off where his innocent enemies had failed a few comrades paid their respects from a distance as there were no ramps for their mobility scooters the priest’s words appeared hollow and out of order but at least the coffin was soundproof and safe 08th July 2020