The War at Home | Teen Ink

The War at Home MAG

June 4, 2008
By Anonymous

With the rotting stench
And the corpses he’s seeing,
How could anyone be asked
To kill another human being?

Constant regret
For what he’s done,
The war for him is over
But he still hasn’t won.

Haunting questions
Come from the dead.
The universe is exploding and imploding
All in his head.

Returning to his homeland
With emotional distress,
He’s met with indifference and anger.
He only did his best.

With not so much
As a “job well done,”
Or even a “thank you,”
Or “I’m proud of you, son.”


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This article has 36 comments.


gabrovsek said...
on Jun. 18 2010 at 5:48 pm
gabrovsek, North Bloomfield, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Im a cadet as of now, in Air Force JROTC, I'm going to either the army or airforce and considering the marines. prolly airforce. anyways I want to kill someone. anyone who does over there should have absolutley no regrets.even tho they are doing their jobs as soldiers in other countries, it doesnt matter, because the US does get in ppls business like other countries and stuff but are always there to help, not to start wars! why should we have peace when they just killed thousands of ppl for NO REASON sept.11.2011 if we brought peace and left, its basically saying that it was ok to do that and then they will strike again thinking that we will just let it go again, huh uh, that dont fly, we need to put foots down and the US needs to quit feeling guilty and remorsful for killing them. always remember that they killed an extreme amount off people just because we tried helping at some point and they didnt like it. we losttoo many people, and it could have been worse. we need to show them we are serious,. there aint no shame about it. !

alice said...
on Jun. 16 2010 at 12:10 pm
i luv tht poem!!!!!!!!!! reply if you agree!!!!!!!!!!!!! plz!!!!!!!!!

alice said...
on Jun. 16 2010 at 12:08 pm
IKR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! plz reply

alice said...
on Jun. 16 2010 at 12:06 pm
nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on May. 27 2010 at 7:30 pm
mpacheco15 BRONZE, Montclair, New Jersey
4 articles 0 photos 21 comments
I'm gonna join up the military. I'm gonna be a cadet ASAP. However I could never kill someone, so I'm gonna be a nurse instead. My dad did kill people, but he mostly helped.

on Apr. 25 2010 at 2:00 pm
kristalynnbaron BRONZE, Oakland, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
Love this.

blippi SILVER said...
on Mar. 18 2010 at 8:45 pm
blippi SILVER, Two Rivers, Wisconsin
7 articles 0 photos 12 comments

Favorite Quote:
"the words the happy say are but paltry melody, but those the silent feel are beautiful"-Emily Dickinson

Is this about vietnam?? Anyhow its beautiful

on Mar. 11 2010 at 1:50 pm
poemlover BRONZE, Hadley, New York
4 articles 0 photos 7 comments

Favorite Quote:
i get the best feeling in the world when you say hi to me or even smile because i know for a second that i've crossed your mind

kudoz amazing emotion this is intense

on Mar. 1 2010 at 6:56 pm
Lord_Limitless BRONZE, New Bern, North Carolina
2 articles 0 photos 21 comments
did he kill his dad? i love this poem. i'm feeling a little slow right now. but i'm just so glad. >poetry right there

HP_freak_fan said...
on Jul. 30 2009 at 2:06 am
Great poem!

on Jul. 29 2009 at 10:40 pm
ruby defelice BRONZE, Townshend, Vermont
4 articles 0 photos 2 comments
Thats a lot of emotion for one person to feel...really amazing poem.

Rabaya GOLD said...
on Jul. 29 2009 at 7:19 pm
Rabaya GOLD, Jamaica, New York
17 articles 0 photos 18 comments
this is really good!

Wayne92 GOLD said...
on Jul. 29 2009 at 6:22 pm
Wayne92 GOLD, Beaumont, Texas
10 articles 0 photos 5 comments
that was so amazing gud wurk !!!!!!!!!!!!

on Jul. 29 2009 at 2:04 am
despurlock DIAMOND, Morgantown, West Virginia
79 articles 0 photos 179 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The heart has its reasons which reason does not know." -Pascal, Pensees, 1670

Wow! I'm speecheless. This is terrific. Very heart-wrenching. 5 stars.

on Jun. 7 2009 at 7:33 am
Holy cow! There is so much emmotion is this poem.