Wounded warriors wear

Fatigues and strut and pose

With guns in hand for photos

To be sent home to mom

Indicating invulnerability

Before being blasted onto

A gurney and into a

Rehab hospital for years

And years and years;

Formerly tree trunk tough

Boys lying atrophied with

Spindly birch branch

Limbs and sucking air

Through plastic screwed

Into the soft, soft bark

While aging, blustering,

Bombastic voices on a

Big hill don those bloody

Torn and shredded

Fatigues, flash water pistols or

Paint ball guns at each

Other laughing heartily

And talking ever, ever so

Tough to the media.