"The Alienated"
By Ben Fortier
Feeling desperately disconnected
Rejected, ejected from a society
I felt I had protected.
Cold steel in the hands of a
Social deviant,
Yet, in the eyes of the citizens,
I’m a savior, not a miscreant.
A predator for profit
With no clear vision
Of reintegration
Back into the world
After this mission.
I’m excited while suppressed
And under fire,
But depressed when I’m home
And get called a liar
By some old timer that probably
Dodged conscription
When I volunteered for a war
That required a conservative subscription.
He did no favors
With his lies and boasting,
For when my tears came
I was the one roasting.
Self-loathing and disgust
Driven by bloodlust,
Aching to get violent
And wonder,
“Why am I trapped in this vortex?”
Change happens from within
And from without;
Self-realization
Is stronger than self-doubt.
Native Rhode Islander and proclaimed Renaissance Man, Iraq vet He is the author of Stones of the Wooded Valley and The Silent Whispers of Omens. His latest book PHANTOMS, covers his deployment to Iraq in '06-'07. Ben is the 2024 recipient of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s Robert A. Gannon award for original poetry dealing with Marine Corps Life.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Join us for an intimate evening of theater in the heart of Cornwall at our cozy Parlor on Quaker Ave. The final Parlor performance of the year will feature seven, 10-minute plays authored by veterans, including plays that have won grants through VetRep’s bi-annual Playwrighting competition. Settle in with a winter mocktail and dessert while we explore drama, comedy, and all the feelings in between through each short play.
POTSHOTS by Stephanie Kline
THE ELEPHANT DELIVERY by Bill Smith
FISH TALE by Phil Wozniak
GIVEN: A WAY by Michael Towers
INTERMISSION PLAY by Dakota Silvey
IT'S NOT BLOOD by Kim Ruyle
SUNSET & VINE by Jack Truman