What heroes welcome did I receive
When home from battle did I come still bleeding
None

For I was one who was forgotten

A battle scarred soldier who none would claim

But all would blame

For what happened over there

The memories I wish I could forget

But they lay imprinted on my mind

Like a cinematic film playing over and over

But I cannot not play them when I want

Or erase them

No they are mine to keep

Not the sort of Kodak moment I was hoping for

No I am one of those that are the dark underbelly of war

Who did the jobs that other did not want

And faced an enemy that few had faced before

And survived

But at what cost to ourselves

We are the lepers of the world

But our leprosy is hidden in our minds

But we can see it on dark nights when we’re all alone

Like Lady MacBeth we rub our hands to try and free ourselves of our “damned spot”

But it remains

All we ask is to be remembered

To be seen as heroes

To be placed in pride as a generation of soldiers

To be seen as more like Audie Murphey

Yet we are seen more like Rambo

Understand that we are human to

And we want recognition from our country

If British we would have been sung praises to the hill tops

And a holiday to remember us would have been named

But we are Americans

And we are treated like criminals

Because of one word

IRAQ