Poem: Heroes’ Voices

Heroes’ Voices
by Mark Cooley

Haven’t you heard? By closing your ears
We feel helpless, speechless, flightless
Too many years, much like a wing-clipped bird
Too frustrated to scream

Can you listen?
Help turn our nightmares into a positive dream
From fire filled foxholes to the cold felt casket
Only the freedom of speech remains
From yesterday’s gift basket

Survivors mourning those good memories
During that moment as the pastor begins to pray
Heroes’ Voices so calm
Yet cautious in how we speak

Trauma surly wasn’t on our menu of choices
Memories so numb, so nauseous
Late night hidden teardrops every man has a right to cry
That doesn’t make him weak

Heroes’ Voices whispering hidden thoughts
Torturing ourselves with back flashes
From all those days of danger

Don’t put out your welcome mats
When you treat me like a stranger
Often stuttering through the painful parts
Too much cluttering of questions
On why compassion doesn’t exist in some of your hearts

Conflict will always be in fashion
Confusion is like a no limit credit card
No matter how much you try
You can’t enjoy what you buy
The roadblocks with no resources
Is what really makes it hard.

As you continue to allow us to speak
And teach through our pain
Hopefully this lost communication
Will now be heard from our eyes
To our hearts to your ears

And with this consistent understanding
We will all benefit from this gain
And don’t forget to commend yourselves
For finally listening
To these Heroes’ Voices.