Barbara Cogswell
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
For Ron Kovics, born on the 4th of July
Firecrackers pop crackle boom all day
facimile bombs flare in the night time sky
flags twinkle in lapels of conservative suits
dogs whimper under the bed
tongues move, lips serve
eyes stream, throats lump
flowers are laid on the hero's grave
My generation fought the big one
saved the world from a torturous
scourge, survived to elect another
It must have been hard once you realized
sacrifice was for shame instead of glory
Yours was a war that everybody lost
although nobody likes to admit it
Recruiters use video games now
a ruse to sign up high school juniors
for this endless war on an 'ism
Suicide rates rise, no attention's paid
to the "would be" dead
PTSD is described as cowardice
So roll your chair over here, Ron
we'll have our own little peace rally
looks like it might be just you and me
(we'll ignore the parade)
before you head back to Mexico,
where your gringo pension
stretches through the month.
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