Moral Injury Poem

Morally Me

Whenever I see one of those roundish yellow stickons,

framing the words “support our troops”

my guts churn,

and I burn just a little more.

The first time I saw one I had to figure it out.

Eventually I saw that it was a representation of a yellow ribbon,

going around,

and then I had to recall a song I’d heard years ago.

Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree.

It’s been three long years, do you still want me.

A soldier coming home. Coming home.

Then images of a wife played by Jane Fonda.

A damaged hard shelled husband running.

A crippled Vietnam Vet played by Angelina Jolie’s father.

Then images of Dustin Hoffman and a young cowboy jigolo selling himself from some other movie.

That’s how my mind went through seeing one of those things on a car the first time.

Do you still want me.

I am not the same me anymore. Do you still want me?

I am morally injured. I have PTSD.

They are sort of same but not,

They overlap a little but not all the way.

Support our troops, tie a yellow ribbon…..

If you don’t, I’ll stay on the bus and go right on by.

Put the blame on me.