Proud Possessions

Today a hero was buried

in Arlington cemetery,

twenty one gun salute,

wearing his uniform

with his two purple hearts

and his medal of valor

for pulling to safety

two wounded soldiers

while under heavy fire.

His wife and children

were there to honor him.

His wife haven’t seen him

for the last four years.

Never the same after

returning home from Iraq;

suffering blinding headaches

that never gave him peace,

suffering nightmares

and cold sweats, screaming

in the middle of the night,

frightening the children.

Suffering from alcoholism.

Suffering living everyday.

Then one day he disappeared

without a word of goodbye.

She was stunned when

she received the call that he

had died living under bridge

in a tiny broken down shanty.

His Marine name tag found

around his massive neck.

His full dress uniform

and his precious medals

under his dirty mattress.