Decorated
~~~
All it takes is a uniform and a flag
The call of duty in service to your country
To turn off any learned morality
Born by conscience or belief
~~~
Trained and provisioned
With the sole purpose of winning
Taking a life becomes just a job
One we are proud to be good at
~~~
We wear the medals with pride
Fruit salad served on our chest
A mark of the people who died
Envied as if a reward
~~~
Better them than us
A phrase often spoken
On both sides of the war
But only one gets to be right
~~~
Yet every life is a brother
Though different than one another
And these hands have given final rest
To people just like me
~~~
I would have rather been martyr than master
Where the long night seeks no answers
And we are measured by what we gave
Rather than by all we took
~~~
commonsensiblyspeaking 
very poignant
Thanks Beth!
what a difficult dilemma, expressed so well…
I am grateful for your service, Brad, and how you share your thoughts of what it was like…
Thank you Jim!
I can almost feel the pain and angst at having to take another’s life (as taught) in order to save yours, your brothers-in-arms and/or this country we call home. Thank you for serving with pride and dignity, and at times, sacrificing your mental health as well as your physical health. I love you.
Love you back sis!
This is hard for me to read though words so lovely and eloquently express your feelings of sorry for all lives lost in the world. My father was always so proud of his 20 years but never once talked to me about his service in the Korean War except when he was pretty wasted. I am just grateful he did. The other men must have had an idea that he lied about his age and was only sixteen while in the war. I will always be proud of my father’s service. I am also thankful for yours. We do have our freedom because of the sacrifices that my father and brave men like you made. I have always considered it an honor to know you for the brilliant poet you are but also for your service. Sending you love and blessings always Brad, Jonikins
Thank you Jonikins! You have every reason to be proud of your father and his choosing to serve.
I am so proud of him. Thank you Brad. If you actually go into my website under photography there is a picture of my father in uniform when he was very young. I looked just like him when I was young. He always opened our small home when we moved off base to any man who
who served with him on our four acres and they were always so respectful and kind to us girls. We were really young but I
Have still never meet a soldier that I didn’t like.
Sending love ❤️ and extra hugs today. I wanted you to know even though it is a virtual friendship it means a lot to me to know you
Brad. Love ❤️ Jonikins
This is so good, Brad! The stanza that resonated with me:
We wear the medals with pride
Fruit salad served on our chest
A mark of the people who died
Envied as if a reward
I never served, but I imagine that is something that would be hard to come to terms with.
Thanks Pete! I appreciate your kind words.
Brad, you are wonderful. Thank you for sharing this beautiful poem.
“And we are measured by what we gave
/Rather than by all we took”
Indeed.
xoxo
Thank you Gabriella! I appreciate all your support! Much love!
My pleasure 🌹