You did not leave me my friend.

Some scars cannot heal. We learn to live with them.

                  
                                   You did not leave me my friend.

Old man sat alone.
Whiskey and gin is his friend tonight.
The V.A hospital pain killers don't help.
His fate cannot be opposed.
Old war wounds given without notice is slowly killing his body.

The valor of war is broken now.
The man sees only blood and death.
He left for Vietnam.
A prophet to save a broken people.

He forfeit his dreams to swim in s**t and blood.
He raised his glass to friends left in the dirt of a lost war.
He wished he had told his friends.
Thank you for watching my back.
 He whispered "I will be joining you soon."

He sits in lonely places now.
Waiting for the slow death to finish him off.
In the blood of courage he left home in 1963.
Volunteered for war the USA said would save the world.

I sat with my friend.
I ordered a double of Jack and a pint of cold beer.
I looked at my friend. Once a 220 pound man with strength
and hope. Now barely, a 100 pound man and can barely walk.
 
He looked at me. He gave me a big Canadian smile and told me.
"You did not leave me my friend."

I hugged my old friend. I met him a few years back. Trying to drink
myself to death. He told me. "You don't know nothing. You have a chance.
Cancer ain't killing you. Wake up."

I watched him drink the Jack Daniels. He told me.
"Jack Daniels hadn't let me down yet. Pain ain't too bad. Doctors told me
soon I will be done."

My friend loved his Toronto Maple leafs. We watched many games.
I go to the downtown tavern and watch hockey alone now.
My friend died on a cold Winter day and found peace.
I hope his brothers are waiting for a fellow Soldier.

Some wars outlast the battles.
Some sickness eats at the body and soul.
My friend never complained about the pain.
He told me if he had one wish.
Would be to take the s**t of war out of his head.

I drink the Jack Daniel and drink my cold Canadian beer.
I can hear my friend.
"You did not leave me my friend".

                                Coyote
                           July 2012

Reviews

[Kaya]

This is so poignant, as is a lot of your work. It's a heartbreaking thing to watch, even for someone with no experience of what they're going through. I do love the way your poems, even when they break my heart, seem to offer a sense of hope. Thank you.

[Space Cazz]

Once again hitting home Coyote. War is definitely a deal-breaker when it comes to the sanity of person, sticks with them for a lifetime. It can be reported on television and re-enacted in movies, but unless one has seen war first hand they can never understand. Love the note "Good people can us to a better place after they have been in hell." Too true brother. Thanks for sharing.

[XxTheFallenAngelxX]

I totally agree with your author's note. It's a great poem, although sad.

[Midnight Queen (Amanda)]

Amazing simply amazing.

[♪Barklight♪]

Good poem. that's deep.

[Tarry Franck]

WOW - What a wonderful poem and truly sheds light on what all soldiers go through. Just hope our soldiers today will be better greeted than they were back then.

[eeoopig]

One word. Beautiful.

Actually a few more :) This was sad and true: seeing and experiencing horrible things like that can slowing kill you from the inside. Good work

[Felecia]

Amazing. I can't even descide how great this is. It's heartbreaking and heart warming all at the same time. And you're right. War can be a slow killer and good people CAN lead us to better places after they've been through hell. It always seems that the people who have seemed to be hurt the most, can guide us out of our pain. They wanted to guide us so we don't have to feel pain like we did. That's what I like to think.
Very nice

[imagination101]

Double wow! This left an imprint in my mind and a word of prayer in my heart for all people at war! Written so well with deep feelings!

[storiestotell]

Beautifully written, but so true, war is a killer of many! Your words are written with so much deep truth!

[Mark]

So many friends lost their lives in war, so many more came back so changed they were different people.

So sad to think of the men who gave so much for this country, for this government, and receive next to nothing in return. We praise our heros, but we don't take care of them and that is a shame our country will not own up to.

Your words always touch me my friend. Another great story.