In the military

We were trained to kill

OBEY OBEY OBEY

Don’t think just do

And it was so easy

To fall into the mindset

So frighteningly simple

Throwing grenades felt powerful

But not like the machine gun

Tearing up the old jeeps

As tracers showed you

Where to aim death

So much potential to kill

In one young man’s hands

9mm, 7.67, 357, 44,

And Howitzer artillery

Training from the skies.

How do I kill with bayonet?

Let us show you,  it’s ready

Hand to hand combat?

Sure…twist here and wait.

Let’s all do pushups

While they soaked you in tear gas.

Then the weekend would come –

Get paid,  get drunk,

Throw up, pass out, repeat.

But no one ever said

You’d never be able to forget.