She trained, then put on the uniform,
To go halfway around the world into the storm
Of the blood soaked battered bodies of our boys
Mutilated, as the warmongers played with their toys.
She sat with them as they cried over things left behind.
Textbooks, proms, pictures etched in their mind
Of innocence, drive in movies, and homecooked meals.
Replaced by night terrors, feeding tubes, and chairs with wheels.
She only cried in the shower or after one too many beers
Invincibility her superpower, stronger than their fears.
Protecting them from the reality awaiting them stateside
There was no grateful nation, no parade, or show of pride.
When at last the carnage stopped, and the last chopper departed
She moved to a V.A. hospital to continue what she started.
For some the wars never end; the casualties don’t always survive.
Yet, she remains in the fight to keep their memories alive.