This poem is an attempt to touch on the issues of our veterans, how the government does little to take care of them and their health issues when discharged from service, how the great percent due to this are homeless, alcoholics, and dubbed crazy. It is yet another issue of injustice in the United States, especially to those who served that are not of European decent. Many of the Hmong who fought on behalf of the United States in Vietnam are not recognized with veteran status. Many of the African Americans and Native Americans (I assume Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese Americans) who fought in WW2 were/are denied the GI bill. I admit this poem is not as strong as I’d like it to be and I am a bit unsatisfied with it. Regardless, here it is:
protect our soldiers, protect them well
make them free to talk and tell
protect our soldiers after service
hold their honor and their purpose
protect our veterans, keep them safe
help them heal from their traumatic states
for those who kill in the US name
who are made to feel hellish pain
for those who fight to protect their people
who don’t feel they can kneel inside the steeple
protect our soldiers, with health care
create a budget with money to spare
protect our soldiers, with shelter
no more vets on the streets living skelter
protect our veterans, with medicine
not just for moral obligation
for those who cry with silent tears
suffering internally for numerous years
for those taught to pull the trigger
trying to heal with surmounting rigor
those defeated with trauma
wanting to relief from everyday head drama
protect our vets, from homelessness
no more 67,000 in the US
protect our soldiers, from injury
bring them home in a hurry
protect our soldiers, it’s your job
the government should not rob
for those who fight to keep you safe
care for them and provide them faith
for those who die to keep you rich
enstate laws that serve, not lynch
for those that serve with consequence and compromise
a purple heart is no civil prize
My source for the information was: wikipedia and the washington post
