Dearest Beloved,
There are days I want to die.
Days I wish you’d notice,
There are days I don’t want to try;
And foreign to those I'm closest.
There are days I wish you’d ask;
Days I live to crash.
How could I tell you anything,
When peace and death are my play-thing.
Where I cannot rest on linen;
I long to sleep in the war again.
There I slept like a baby,
Do you know this drives me crazy?
Twenty years ago and yesterday.
Should I, or should I not say,
I am earth and my thoughts clay;
And I know it shouldn't be this way.
I am war, and the war I.
My mind beyond the ability to cry.
I sit and smile at the ghost behind you;
He is real and his friends few.
Pain can be a penance,
On days where I can't form a sentence.
But I am honored to keep you.
You are all that is good and true.
So when you see me say little,
A whole day mute with the sun.
Honor a soul that is brittle;
Remember you and I are one.
One kind word, one kind act.
It will be heard, I will react.
In that moment you honor me;
Unforgotten will be our legacy.
Sincerely,
Your Veteran
About the Creator
Aaron Michael Grant
Grant retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2008 after serving a combat tour 2nd Tank Battalion in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is the author of "Taking Baghdad," available at Barnes & Noble stores, and Amazon.
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Comments (1)
Perfect!