You’ve a great burden on your shoulders, young soldier by Bogdan Dragos

His child was an infant

who couldn’t

possibly consent to having

his father

use him like a therapy pet

But he did anyway

He wore his military uniform

as he held the kid in

his arms

and rocked him

and spoke to him

saying, “I have done it. I’ve killed

children just like you

in the war zone. Children with and

without parents. I shot them,

ran them over with the tank, launched

missiles at their homes

And I was trained to believe I was doing them

a big service. For death

was preferable to a life like theirs. And besides,

I only did my job, I followed

orders. I never watched their

eyes when I did all those things

but their eyes were watching mine, I know.

And I’ll never forget. So is it

fair that I should

return to my safe home

and my lovely…