Performed Poem at The CCSF Poetry for Veterans event 2011

I LEFT THIS COUNTRY TO SERVE OVERSEAS, I AM THE REAL ALL-AMERICAN DREAM

I DON’T NEED THE NCAA TO TELL ME THAT, LIKE EINSTEIN’S THEORY OF RELATIVITY, IT HAS LONG BEEN PROVEN AS FACT

I HAVE NOW COMEBACK HOME TO PARADES, AFTER BATTLING TERRORISTS IN FIREFIGHTS AND SURVIVING BLOODY SAND SOAKED RAIDS

WHO AM I?

WHAT’S MY NAME?

I AM THE HOME OF THE BRAVE AND MY NAME IS THE LAND OF THE FREE

I MAY ONLY BE A JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL KID IN THE INFANTRY

BUT I EMBODY THE TRUE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY

SO WHY WHEN I COME BACK HOME AFTER THE PARADES AND WELCOME HOME CELEBRATIONS END

DO YOU DISAPPEAR LIKE GHOSTS OR BETTER YET SCATTER LIKE ROACHES WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON

ESPECIALLY AFTER THE WAR IS OVER IS WHEN I NEED MY FELLOW CITIZENS THE MOST

YET YOU PASS ME LIKE I’M A FREAK ON THE STREETS

BECAUSE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS HAS PUNCTURED MY MIND LIKE AN ENEMY’S SNIPER 50CAL BULLET THROUGH A U.S.A MILITARY CERTIFIED KEVLAR VEST

IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE SUPPORT THE TROOPS BULLSHIT IS JUST A FUCKING MEANINGLESS SLOGAN

SOMETHING LIKE GOOD LUCK, JUST SOME LAME ASS BULLSHIT YOU SAY TO SOME DOWN ON HIS LUCK SCHMUCK

TO MAKE YOURSELF FEEL BETTER BULLSHIT, NOT TO MAKE MATTERS ANY BETTER REAL SHIT

IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SUPPORT THE TROOPS, DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE CATCHY STICKERS AND SLOGANS

BUT GIVE ME A CHANCE AT A JOB, GIVE ME THE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS TREATMENT I NEED AND JUST TRY TO BE A GENUINE FRIEND TO ME

THAT’S ALL I NEED

THE SUPPORT THE TROOPS STICKERS ARE COOL

BUT WHAT I REALLY NEED IS FOR YOU TO FIGHT FOR ME IN THE U.S.A, THE SAME WAY I FOUGHT FOR YOUR FREEDDOM THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY!

-LEON KWASI KUNTUO-ASARE
AMERICA: DIVIDED WE STAND? ! A COLLECTION OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL POETRY
NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD FROM AMAZON KINDLE