Original publication date: April 11th, 2007
Severe buzz-cut
Polished black boots (or sandy-tan)
Proud posture
Pride of my father
I want to be a soldier
Patriot, legacy-keeper
Symbol of freedom (and justice)
Heir to the minute-men
Product of a great nation
I want to be a soldier
Envy of the Boy-Scout-me
Disciplined, Good, Strong
Defender of my family
Noble, Humble, Man of God
I want to be that soldier
Don’t I deserve the chance
To enlist and be
The soldier from my history book?
No, not now.
That soldier doesn’t exist today,
but in the souls of veterans.
In his place stands
a jaded Gun-man,
biding an unholy war.