War Poem

The Trials Of The Veteran

PTSD is not new. It actually had been referred to as "shell shock" in the earlier days. The condition is not confined to those who served in combat because trauma can exist in everyday life. What better demonstrates that than the citizens of the Ukraine? This poem is about such a condition, but in this case, it refers to the combat soldier. PTSD should not be considered a disorder or a disease. It is more of a state of mind, and it is something to which I have firsthand knowledge.

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PTSD Is Real

Published by Family Friend Poems May 2022 with permission of the Author.

Behold the aging soldier. He's grown longer in the tooth.
He wears the scars of battle that had squandered all his youth.
Although his war has ended, he finds much to his dismay.
The demons that now haunt him just don't seem to go away.
He performed his duty proudly as he served his time in hell.
The nightmares still upset him, but he hides it very well.
He tries to carry happy thoughts when he lays down to sleep.
But they all will soon turn ugly 'cause his wounds are far too deep.
Outsiders just don't realize what may happen to these vets.
Their memories often fill them with a ton of life's regrets.
Try to keep them in your prayers so peace is what they find.
So many of them can't go on and they often lose their mind.

ABOUT THE POET:

I have always enjoyed writing poems to express my feelings. They are a reflection of my mood at the time. Consequently, it could be remorseful, mischievous, or philosophical. I've frequently been asked to write for special occasions by family and friends. I do so but I don't really enjoy it because I'm locked into a time frame...

more by Randall W. West

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