Armed Forces

I am not jingoistic
Or blindly patriotic
I am not comfortable
With
singing the praises
Of a nation
Engaged in
Problematic policies
And conflicts
But
When I stand at the bar
With a man who has seen things
Nobody should see
And
Done things
Nobody should do
For Country
And
Still carries on
I am mystified
The core of him
Quakes
An unsettled stone
Liquid quartz
Through granite
And he smiles
Because smiling
Saves him from tears
For now
The tears do come
Streaking through rock
But let's smile and laugh
Until then
And send the stone swinging
Make fun of ourselves
And our Darkness
Let me stand up for you
Because standing up
And fighting
Is what I do
I fight 
Let's laugh about it
Then send me into battle
I am armed
And ready
Please
Let me fight 
For you
Let me right this wrong
For you
Let me
Break a window
With my heart
And make something right
Something I believe in
I am armed
And ready
To fight
It's what I do