Fort Hood workshop excerpt

Writing from the workshop by Aaron Hughes

Veterans Day is Armistice Day in other nations, right?
or is that Memorial Day
one two days a year veterans and war may be thought about
not mourned
celebrated
red white blue band and kids candy
big roaring motor bike bbq
what for
a parade to mourn
where is the mourning
did we all forget to mourn the loss
the pain the destruction
where is all the mourning
and for what is all this for
a march
a celebration
we are proud and strong and powerful
I am vulnerable
I am vulnerable
I am human just human
weak and strong and aware that I am just human
just vulnerable
can Veterans Day
my day
our day
be a memory of our fear
our death
our vulnerability and waiting to die
waiting for road side bomb
and massive explosion
destruction and reconstruction
roadside bomb
vulnerable
radical vulnerability
in fall in sun-setting evening
and fall
fall
fall
leaves death and moving time to all our deaths
I am vulnerable human and proud