Wounded Times
Kathie Costos
October 30, 2014
Looking around nothing seemed like home to him after everything else he'd seen.
He had been down the road a thousand times before
but then the world turned upside down on his last tour.
He'd been away for 9 long months in Afghanistan.
Not the first time he was there but he swore he'd never go back again.
His thoughts were of friends he lost
as he wondered if any of it was worth the cost.
Then he wondered what his life meant then or what it would mean tomorrow
when he couldn't remember the last time he wasn't filled with so much sorrow.
The light turned green, traffic moved ahead
he was stuck thinking of being better off dead.
Jason took the right onto Goldenrod almost hit by a jerk on the phone
he fought to control the bike as much as he fought feeling all alone.
Then he saw the bikes in front of the Laughing Horse bar, his second home.
Betty's eyes twinkled when he walked in the door
Stomped his boots on the floor
He winked with a grin he asked her "where you been?"
She gave him a hug and grabbed him a beer
thinking the last time she saw him was about a year
He took a seat and looked around a while
seeing the pictures on the wall, all with a smile
Then he saw a stranger with a Vietnam Vet patch on his head
He turned away long enough to get his belly fed
looked across to see the empty stool
then thought about his buddy from high school
So many plans they had as kids
No one ever thought they'd be doing what they did
But right after September 11th Bob joined the Army
prepared to leave behind his friends and family
Josh followed right behind the way it always was
since Josh believed that's just what a friend does.
Bob was killed took a part of Josh away
He made sure to have a beer to honor that day
the day Bob sacrificed his life to keep his word
to keep Josh alive or die trying, though living was prefered
The stranger came back and put out his hand
"Come with me if you want to understand"
Josh, polite as always followed and saw the flames behind the bar
"It's called a Watchfire to show you the way back from far
Back from far? What's that mean?
You didn't find your own way into war or what you've seen
You had to be shown the way and taken there
Now you have to be shown the way home to people who care
I went in a different time to a different place
but someone showed me the way home with grace
and helped me find peace to last all these years
Ya can't find it in cigarettes and beers
Ya can't find it unless someone helps you see it
that's why the watchfire was lit
but you don't have to look at the flames burning
to ease the places where you're hurting
What you need is already there
in the place where you care
cause it was love that caused you to go
to be willing to die for someone you know
It's my time to pass it on
Cause one of these days I'll be gone
but one day when you're as old as me
someone else will be lost as you seem to be
and you can help him find his way
the same way I guide you starting this day
PTSD doesn't have to ruin your life
or end your relationship with your wife
You ain't stuck with the way it is now
It changed you once but you can change again if you learn how
I'll spend as much time as you need me to
for only a promise that you'll do it too
when you're strong enough to take the watch for another
and show them the way back from far, brother to brother.
