Casualty Of War Poem by Carolyn June

Crouched in a corner, she covers her face
He storms the room, tearing up the place
Asked a question; 'What did he want to eat'
He answers with fists; she, in turn, retreats

She is his whipping post on any given day
Did not want to leave; but too afraid to stay
At the least little thing anger would erupt
She needs to leave or she will self-destruct

When the two were dating she was overjoyed
Living happy ever after with her soldier boy
Return from the Middle East a different man
Suffers post-traumatic stress in Afghanistan

Finally decides she could take no more
Attempts to leave, but he blocks the door
Self-preservation gave her strength to run
But he kills them both with his issued gun