You got advice for me?
Cool. First I really need to know, did you serve?
Did you wear the boots, eat the dust, give up
holidays and birthdays?
Ever sleep on deployment with the sound
of your own death breathing down your neck?
Did you get a half-gone roll of toilet paper
as your only gift for Christmas break?
Was it the best gift you ever got because
it could double as your only pillow?
And second
do you vote?            Do you?
Ever drag your *** out to hold a hand  made sign
when it’s raining and the tear gas is  like a wall of fog , blinding,
paint the letters big enough
so history can’t miss them.
If the answer’s no,
then step off,
because I earned  it.
and you’re just another unpaid preacher
with a mouth full of borrowed words I’ve already ignored.
Go back to your doom scrolling and Latte lies
the adults are talking. Or at least attempting to.