don't call us heroes

By FadedBlues

(For Chaos God and all Soldiers and Vets)


don't call us heroes

your intentions are good
but the label is an invocation
of memories we never gathered by choice,
a stigma of shattered innocence
that we're stuck with now forever.

we were sent to lands we never
studied about in geography class,
performed duties that sickened us
by someone else's command.

sometimes I hear the voices
of those who didn't come home.
you know what they say?


-*-   we don't want to be dead heroes.   -*-   
-*-   we just want our bodies back,         -*-          
-*-   want to be with our mothers,         -*-                                                          
-*-   our wives, maybe kids, too.             -*-              
-*-   just regular joes, living through        -*-         
-*-   the crap like everyone else.             -*-               
-*-   Listen...we'd trade all our medals      -*-             
-*-   for that.                                          -*-

































                                         








                      

Unauthorized Copying Is Prohibited. Ask the author first.
Copyright 2012 FadedBlues
Published on Tuesday, February 7, 2012.     Filed under: "Poetry"
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Comments on "don't call us heroes"

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  • A former member wrote: This is powerful. This is deep. This is beautiful and this is true. This is perfection! I love this, words said so well.. Wish i could write like this. Great work!

  • WillowGreybird On Thursday, January 16, 2014, WillowGreybird (23)By person wrote:

    Powerful and presumably quite accurate....I love this. I've been on DP literally all day, reading work after work....and I have found one that managed to capture my attention fully. Thank you for this.

  • Clydes_Bonnie On Saturday, September 7, 2013, Clydes_Bonnie (56)By person wrote:

    That is powerful. I can not even begin to imagine what a soldier has had to experience. I can relate to ptsd..but I've got it easy in comparison. Thank you, and thank you for all of the kind words on my writes..it means a lot.

  • TropicalSnowstorm On Tuesday, August 6, 2013, TropicalSnowstorm (1703)By person wrote:

    Excellent piece! Ciao, T/S Scholar

  • XxxHauntxxxMexxX On Saturday, May 11, 2013, XxxHauntxxxMexxX (7)By person wrote:

    Thank You For Your Comments On My Recent Works! This Is Amazing, Also Thank You For Dedicating This To My Husband And All Soldiers! Perfectly Beautiful Faded Blues!

  • DeafSoldier On Monday, January 21, 2013, DeafSoldier (38)By person wrote:

    This is very good. I love this poem. All the veterans I've met who are WWII and Vietnam vets always say that they're not heroes, but the men who never came back are the real heroes. From all the Death and the loss of brothers, I can see why they say that. I know I'll never understand the feeling though. Very great poem.

  • A former member wrote: Wow, so haunting in every words...reality speaking the cruelty of war reveals here...this is not an everyday poem that you can read on a poetry site...its a gem my friend! you'd penned this one directly through...and it leaves a void and a question? And that is a question of lost? Thank you for sharing its the best piece that I read from you. Till next visit AD.

  • Kaleidoscope_Heart On Monday, October 29, 2012, Kaleidoscope_Heart (111)By person wrote:

    Wow. This should be a staple read, period. You have so much to say that needs to be heard.

  • FadedBlues On Wednesday, October 17, 2012, FadedBlues (2172)By person wrote:

    Thanks for this, it's unexpected & humbling. but I'm glad new readers will get to see it...

  • Nehema On Wednesday, October 17, 2012, Nehema (962)By person wrote:

    Congratulations on Poem of the Day - However, I think this should be Poem of the Century. Wow Faded, I might need to go back through your history and see what else I missed before I joined. Love you sir - XXOO Scholar

  • Melancholic VIncent On Friday, June 8, 2012, Melancholic VIncent (431)By person wrote:

    I certainly see what you meant...

  • FadedBlues On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, FadedBlues (2172)By person wrote:

    Dujoloaf, Devilish, and NikesRain: You're all beautiful people, Thank You from the bottom of my heart.

  • NikesRain On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, NikesRain (1298)By person wrote:

    this drives straight to the heart... grips it tightly in its message and emotion... until all that's left are welling tears and a heavy ache... my deepest respect to you and those you wrote this for

  • Devilish On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, Devilish (2662)By person wrote:

    Salute my love.. I bow to you.. And ill get on my knees if you like... lol.. This is perfect. Thank you.. Scholar

  • A former member wrote: ...Salutes... Scholar

  • FadedBlues On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, FadedBlues (2172)By person wrote:

    Squirrel, thanks for saluting the war dead...something I needed closure on, for my own peace of mind...

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