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Iraq Veterans Against the War has become About Face: Veterans Against the War. About Face can be found at aboutfaceveterans.org

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I Hate: A Poem

published by Jennifer Cole on 01/23/15 10:31am
Posted to: 
New York City

I wrote this poem this morning after trying to fill out even more VA Compensation paperwork and seeing one too many commercials for preventing veteran suicide and for the new film "American Sniper". Life just becomes so overwhelming at times, and poetry is one of the few ways I can express my feelings in a way that is safe for me. 

I hate being a veteran of war
I hate the constant triggers
I hate the never ending avoidance of emotions
I hate the constant reminders of what I’ve lost
I hate that I’m not alone in my pain
I hate that people say “Thank you for your service”
I hate that the VA does little to help the people they serve
I hate that Americans still crave war
I hate that our children play war video games
I hate that every day is a day of pain and anger
I hate that so many of us take our own lives because the pain is too much
I hate that there are no reparations I can make to fix my faults
I hate that I cry whenever I think about Iraq
I hate that I can’t fully express the anguish and resentment I feel
I hate that this poem may only get read once before you close your laptop and move on to something less painful

'War Is Not a Game' Book Event- NYC, November 10th

'War is Not A Game' Book Event with Author Nan Levinson Join us for a reception and discussion with Tufts University lecturer and author Nan Levinson on her recent book War Is Not A Game: The New Antiwar Soldiers and...
Jennifer Cole's picture

Remembering April - A Poem

Anniversaries can be a difficult time for some. April kicks of months of painful memories and each year I feel like I relive my deployment in 2003.      Sitting at a table in a restaurant, I get a call “Get your...
Jennifer Cole's picture

They Suffer Still: The Children of Iraq

Recently I have seen an increase in news reports on Iraqi children being murdered, abused, or enslaved by ISIS members. I do not read these articles, because the titles alone tear at my heart. The children I saw in Iraq...
Jennifer Cole's picture

I Hate: A Poem

I wrote this poem this morning after trying to fill out even more VA Compensation paperwork and seeing one too many commercials for preventing veteran suicide and for the new film "American Sniper". Life just becomes so...

Senators, Constituents, & ISIS, Oh My!

I completely understand that our government officials are busy making decisions for our country and earning money from their constituents, but is it hard to have an answering machine or multi-line phone system? Is it also...

Tonight: AVAW Tour Comes to NYC!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 - 6:30pm NYU Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near East Studies 50 Washington Sq. S. (Entrance on Sullivan St.) New York, NY Appetizers from Khyber Pass Restaurant (Afghan food) will be served...

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