She Wore Cowgirl Boots and Princess Hats

Once upon upon a time

It was cowgirl boots

And princess hats

Barbie and Ken

Wedding

And pretend tea

With Mom

And Dad.

Now its dusty combat

Boots

And driving

Tanks across desert

Sand,

She leaves a little

Piece of herself

In that land

As she hands out

Toys

To dirty little hands

A gesture so simple

And universal.

She writes letters

And calls on the satellite phone

Leaving it only half truths

As she assures her parents

It’s okay,

But there’s not much

Truth in it really

Not when she’s watched

Friends bleed out

From gunshot wounds

And bomb blasts

War is Hell

She mutters under her

Breath

Knowing she’d do it again

If she was called to

She fought for freedom

Because she knew

It wasn’t free!

(C) Michelle R Kidwell

May.23.2019