Barbara Peckham Poet Free verse

To a Veteran

Thank you for your faith
in the country you so love
that you’d offer up your life
in a cataclysmic strife.
Thank you for your courage, 
although you shook inside. 
You did all that was required, 
no matter what the price.

The noise of guns and mortar 
convulsed the fetid air.
You saw beloved comrades
lie bleeding at your side.
You suffered pain and conflict
when you had to kill another,
against what you’d been taught,
to love, not hate, your brother.

We call you strong and brave
and admire your fortitude,
but the toll that it has taken
is in your mind and soul.
To kill for love of country
and the freedoms we possess
takes strength we can’t imagine,
 and thanks are not enough!

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John Read November 17, 2024 at 11:31 AM Amen! I agree whole heartedly, we owe them so much. God bless. Ramon Riveraalmena November 17, 2024 at 12:20 PM Thank you for your kind words. I am a retired vet, and I am not one to wave flags or claim to be a patriot. That is earned, not said. A simple thank you for your service is more than enough. That is how you validate their service and sacrifice.