"Bequeathing a Deadly AO"
By Ben Fortier
We inherited a dangerous area of operations
Fifteen months after Phantom Fury,
When soldiers and Marines plowed
Through the ancient city.
Street by street, block by block,
Urban warfare not seen
Since the battles of Hue or Saigon.
The city consumed us,
In its quagmire of concrete
Black water, sewer streets,
Tire walls, garbage heaps.
Blue mosques and minarets,
Chanting out calls of death.
IED sweeps at zero four,
Red Bulls and Rip Its galore.
Drove over a hole with two 155s
Barely know how we made it out alive.
The trigger man tried to blow it.
And we thought that you should know,
We are bequeathing a deadly AO.
Insurgency activity has soared,
In case you thought you’d be bored.
“Have fun, we’re going home.”
In the streets of Fallujah, you will roam.
Native Rhode Islander and proclaimed Renaissance Man, Iraq veteran Benjamin Fortier is a multi-talented writer, musician, and technology geek. He is currently in school (again) studying computer networking and cybersecurity. His day job is in service to his rescue dog, Princess Peppa Pig the American Bully. He is the author of Stones of the Wooded Valley and The Silent Whispers of Omens. This poem was taken from his latest book PHANTOMS, covering his deployment to Iraq in '06-'07.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Mark your calendars for November 28th! Giving Tuesday is just one week away, and VetRep needs your support. Here are some ways you can show your love to VetRep this season!
1. Listen to the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we conduct long-form interviews with veteran artists, writers, musicians, and playwrights.
2. Subscribe to this blog! If you’re reading this, you probably already do, so tell your friends and share the love so they can receive the best in veteran artists too.
3. Attend live events. Between our parlor shows, public play workshops, WonderGround events, and community outreach, there’s always something happening, so bring a friend and come say hello!
4. Share us on social. Do you have pictures from an event you attended, love a piece on the blog? Share it on Facebook or Instagram and be sure to tag us.
5. Donate! As a 501(c)(3), all our productions and ventures are funded through donations from supporters like you. Donations are tax deductible, and any amount helps us set the stage for the incredible work our artists produce.
VetRep is proud to present Michael Frayn’s “Chinamen” for our November and December Parlor shows. This legendary British farce has five characters and only two actors, and you won’t want to miss the final, hilarious performances of the season. We have enjoyed sold out shows all year, and while there are worse problems we could have, we want to encourage you to get your tickets to “Chinamen” before they disappear!
Join us for the December 7th performance of War Words with New York Rep!
War Words is a Pulitzer Prize nominated docu-play in the words of the men and women who served in the U.S. Military during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, based on the playwright’s interviews with veterans of the 20-year Long War and their families. You can get discounted tickets to the December 7 performance – where VetRep will be hosting a post-show talkbalk.
Our Acting for Beginners class is now being offered weekly every Saturday from 10am-12pm. Scholarships for qualifying veterans, as well as multi-class passes are available. Registration details can be found here.