my war

by d.x. liu

mud mud everywhere
rats rats eat the dead
lice lice in my hair
and shells flying through the air

pain pain all around
blood blood flowing free
death death on the ground
and gas slowly killing me

tell me has the world gone mad?
i can not think - my lungs burn blue
they said fight - my eyes are red
but now - White Death - it’s up to you

tell my mother there was no pain
she need not worry for me
i feel feeling begin to wane
her face is the last thing i see

my war was not with a country
instead it’s with my shattered mind
our father-land lied to us, to me
to a generation too young, too blind