Medal For A Crime Poem by michael hanthala

Your spun a lie as a patriotic shield so that you'll kill more easily without guilt or remorse
and it doesn't matter if your team is russian, german or american
serve to eradicate any at the order of others who own you...for a flag, for a buck, for 'legal' robbery
consequently for if you do your killing well your ceremonially given a medal for committing a crime

So then they ship you to a land you've never heard of
to terrorize families who've never done harm to you or yours
but they tell you must 'fight for your country or your country will die'
they tell you God is on your side...

But what God sends his own children to slaughter his own children
when we are commanded not to kill?
what God sanctions torture to be cruel
when, we are demanded of to follow the golden rule?

Where is the God who would strafe a village
when collaterally or otherwise children are killed by your own violence
what God i dare you to stain who would profane his name by such nefarious action?
What religion tells any of us to kill for greed and selfishness?

You join a gang of killers who are dogmatically worshiped beyond reproach
your brainwashed into longing to murder with mob-lust by whoever gives you a command
your absolved of conscience and guilt by whatever you do in your countries name, what gall
then when your tour is over having cashed in for your services, you might even get a shiny medal

But they never told you about when you go home
horror folded with military precision within your duffel bag
they bequeathed you a soldiers heart that never misses a beat
the moral injury that eats at your soul every night and day
at the VA they tell you be a good soldier and just go away


You stare at the medal they pompously gave you for hours and hours days upon days
yet once again, you take it to the bathroom traumatized & obsessed, you scrub to wipe away
to wash the innocent blood off your radiant medal but it never washes away...
and your red hands are just one pair of many many misplaced