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KarmaPolice Jun 2024
My husband sits for days on end,
Staring through his vacant friend.
My tearful words fall alone,
His mind resides in combat zone.

A man replaced by shell so cold,
Numbed by scars of war untold.
Violent dreams he lives each night,
Lashing out at all in sight.

He returns to war inside his head,
Trauma stained by all the bloodshed.
A trigger pulled, his mind released,
Begging for all thoughts to cease.

His scars remain, but can't be seen,
Buried deep inside his dreams.
I wish that I, could set him free,
From the damaging effects of PTSD.

I pray for the day he's finally home,
So the trauma of war can leave us alone.

By Darren Wall
Spicy Digits Jun 2024
Grounded me earthside
Fingers of twine

Pulled me from him
Steadied my spine

Fingers of dread
Waiting, waiting

Pointing to the door
Aching, aching

Tap my sternum
Baby's lullaby

Help me breathe
Write me right
Jeremy Betts Jun 2024
I no longer dare to take a breath, can't provoke me, I won't breathe
Finding it too risky under the pressure of a thousand seas
Plus, you see, I must conserve the air for my self-righteous pleas
To produce more I planted the forest I can't see through the trees
Gods speed please, I've already been brought to my knees
By the artic breeze off a shoulder so cold it threatens to freeze
This house of cards I call a home sheds support beams with ease
From the inception of my very first organic thought
I've been largely ineffective at controlling my plot
Have I earned that first breath I got or not?
Probably not
The gut shot is how obvious it is that everyone at my table agrees

©2024
Amanda Kay Burke May 2024
Smoking myself crazy
In the wind hear your voice
If truly making you happy
I support your choice
I love her loving you
Embrace and sharp cold words
Fear not you moving on
But not moving forwards
For all we have been through
Turns and coils my distress
A mind ferocious and primal
Tamed by loneliness
All the thoughts go unsaid
Linger in air
If only each one could be gathered
Carried away somewhere
Written 2-26-21
Ghxstcxt May 2024
Are you stuck?
Need some help up out that rut?
I can lend a hand to some stuff
sunk under the surface
I don't even need to look
Like pulling up a plug
Don't give up
Never give up
Small steps first
Don't give up
You'll turn your walk
into a strut, trust
'Cause you are worthy
You are loved
Don't give up
Never
Give
Up
Mrs Timetable Apr 2024
We may not
Be able
To heal
Each others wounds
But we can
Compare
Share
And
Admire
Each
Other's
Scars
That's why we write and share
Gabrielle Apr 2024
My best friend doesn’t talk very much,
He listens sometimes, nods his head and such.

He sleeps all day, loudly most times,
Unbothered by me or nickels or dimes.

He smells damp, his feet are warm
Circled next to my head when my mind is a swarm.

My best friend always knows what to say
If the piles of stones in my head start to weigh.

In that, he doesn’t talk, or even really touch,
He just listens sometimes, nods his head and such.
This poem is about my friendship with my cat.
Meandering Words Mar 2024
halfway along a mired path
with no option but
to gingerly retrace
their mud-caked steps
or simply struggle onwards
careful of each squelch
along that mud-caked path
the dog sits blithely at heel
appearing miserable
in this drizzling rain
but patient for his reward
and willing to wait
following unconditionally
while the man considers
his options and
the next poor decision
he is liable to make
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