The claim of war

by John Collins / March 17th, 2019

Where is your arm, I am asked?
We should all have arms.
Where is your leg, I am asked?
We should all have legs.
We should all have arms and feet,
but mine were taken away,
by some unseen device
that has been proven efficient.
It is better than a surgeon,
just more messy,
but far less expensive.
And, that is what my arm, my foot
has become to someone
who just by pushing a button
has performed surgery on me.
The simple push of a button
and my surgery was performed
without a licenses and without
a heart.
And now I stumble
and now I have trouble hugging.
But I get 50% disability.
The checks come every month.
I wish though that you would instead
send my arm and my leg.
I’m waiting and I’m struggling.
Where is my arm?
Where is my leg?
I left them on the battlefield.
If you find them, tell them
that I miss them.

John Collins ia a retired pharmacist from the coastal Virginia area, now living in Central Virginia. His work has appeared in the Dissident Voice, Merak, Fourth and Sycamore, Aurorus and Blossoms, Pangolin Review and Galway Reiew. Read other articles by John.

This article was posted on Sunday, March 17th, 2019 at 8:02am and is filed under Poetry.