When Boys are Men

Pale gray hands across a stone cold chest, 
a family divided from the rest,
A mother who weeps in pure despair,
A father who wishes he was with him there,
This is what happens.
What happens when boys are supposed to be men,
Sent away ten by ten. 
Trained to kill their fellow brothers,
Forced to shoot one another,
They can never return for they are gone forever,
 
This is what happens when boys are supposed to be men. 
They are made to look through the eyes of another, 
Always reminded of the shadows of the past,
their taunting presence driving them mad.
The child within is dead, gone forever.
A husk of what could've been,
A loving son, a playful dad.
All that's left are the remnants of regret,
Twisting and tugging, whispering in their ears. 
They live off the pain and feed off the fear. 
For this is what happens when boys are supposed to be men.
 
This is what happens when you send a child to war!
He will be changed forever more, the ones who died relieved of their fate,
the one's that survived must strive through hate,
Society trashed them, thrown them away.
Labeled them crazy and that is where they stay.
A homeless young man in an alley gutter,
He served his country to save his mother.
He was exposed to the horrors of war,
For he came back and found his family torn. 
He blamed himself for the things he done.
 
Only if he wasn't the only one,
Of those poor unfortunate souls,
Who found their lives at the gardens end,
and they found peace one by one
Within a field of silver butterflies.
 
Look at what we've done,
The mother lost her child,
The father lost his son,
The boy lost hope,
And society gained another unfortunate soul.
 
Now only if, we'd understand what happens,
When boys are supposed to be men. 
 
 
 

Comments

RebeccaYSPerez

With family members who have gone into the armed forces, and friends who have gone off to them as well, reading this poem makes me so incredibly sad. I love the fact that you as a poet are not afraid to speak on this topic and you've went from not just one story but multiple ones. It's heartbreaking and real, and it's beautiful to see awareness. You repetition made this poem all the more haunting, and your imagery was spot on. I liked the fact that you did not sacrifice your message for rhyme and the result turned out beautiful. There really does need to be a discussion on the result of our men- and women- going off to war and this piece would be a great conversation starter. Thank you so much for sharing this piece.

Rebecca

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