On a Veterans' Day in the Midst of Yet Another War

So very often,

Those who make decisions about waging war

Do not pay the consequences of war

And what I want for you

Although I know you are strong,

and brave,

Is to come home with all your fingers and toes

your arms and legs, yes

your beautiful faces, yes, and

your Whole soul.

I know pieces of my soul

are scattered

across Iraq, Afghanistan,

Syria and Lebanon

Palestine and Israel

and Central America

I saw a lot of war, after all,

and death

even though I never held a gun

I met a lot of young soldiers

who were alive, yet

something in them had died

or was slowly dying

I think about all who left

chunks of their souls

and perhaps also

chunks of their bodies

In Viet Nam, Korea, Germany

All over the earth

In ways most of us can only begin to fathom

And so we might say,

'Thank you for your service' today

It's harder to say,

'How are you...really?'

and to listen

It's painful to say,

'Here we are again...'

Heal your children, O Lord

Inside and out

Set aside the egos of the powerful

so no more of our young must die

or be destroyed

Bring forth among us healers,

so that we may work together

to heal our broken world

Because You have made this world

Beautiful,

O God,

And You

have created it

for Peace.

(c)2023 LCdM