They Thank Us For Our Service by Peter Beckstrom

Because They care enoughto say something eventhough They don’t know whatThey’re supposed to sayThey would probably think it’s coolto know someone who had some holespunched through their grape or sternumsucking chest wounds suck sostop the bleedingstart the breathingprotect the woundtreat for shockand those types of wounds will probably healbecause the shit corpsman lug aroundbesides enough traumatic experiencesto make an incest survivor’s grouplook like a girl scout meetingis high-speed low-drag med equipmentbecause this ain't the Civil Warwhere people are dying from gangrene, no,this is the war of the dronesand the best weaponsa back alley done-in-the-dark-deala guvvie contract can buyand that’s a lotso instead the troops like youare falling in droves statesidefrom rye squeezed into a bottle andsucking 5.56 rounds into your brain pan through your roof palatebecause while They are no longer as friendlynow since the uniform is off andyou’re just the person who wasbut now isn’tand They don’t know whatto say so They don’t say itbecause of what you may have done over thereand you’re thinkinga sucking chest wound may just bethe ticketmaybejust maybebecause They aren’t gonna know whyyou’re screaming at the cashierfor dropping the dimes when the coinsshould have landed in your outstretched handsor why you’ve been sweating since your kids came inwhen you had your back to the doorand they just had to let the screen slamagainst the frame like the wayyou slammed your spouse against the closetbecause what you feel and what you thinkdon’t wanna play nice with your words soyour hands do the talking now butyour hands do too much talking andthe spouse is gone with the kids and the dogand here you are back at square ryetongue-fucking the compensator of your ARbecause They just couldn’t say I don’t careand you just want to hear the truth orat least that is what you keep repeatingin your headlike you really are gonna believe thatwith enough repetitionbecause memory doesn’t work like thatespecially now that your brain is made of 210 daysthat are holding all the rest hostagebecause what you really wantis to be okay with not being okayand for They just to giveyou some latitude just alittlefuckin’breathing roombecause tomorrow is a battle you've foughtin your headin advanceso even if that battle doesn’t comeit already has