Learned to tell jokes
to make light of bad situations
and how to laugh to stop tears
from flowing out of formation.
Up in guard towers
the weeks dragged on,
until weeks turned to months
and those false fronts were gone.
As the truth came out
the pain tagged along,
which each one had bottled up,
stowed away, and pushed down.
Still lightening the pain
with a fair bit of laughter
believing we could rid our depression
with a dark sense of humor.
What some would find in that box
wouldn't follow them home
and before we realized it
we again felt on our own.
While some learned to move on,
to replace the façade,
others remained trapped
in that tower abroad.
For those that fell short of
replacing that space,
lives were soon lost
before being forgotten and replaced.
Lani Hankins is a former Army female engagement team member and a veteran of Afghanistan. Follow her here. Listen to the Savage Wonder episode with her here.
She blogs and podcasts at Kruse Corner.
Bunny: Poems About Surviving Military Life by Lani Hankins
Bottled Away: Confessions of a Struggling Veteran by Lani Hankins
The Gaslit Heart: A Story of Service and Survival by Lani Hankins
Eased Pain: Poems About Surviving Domestic Violence by Lani Hankins
What’s happening at VetRep…
Listen to our latest episode with Kimberly Evans on the Savage Wonder Podcast, where we interview incredibly talented musicians, artists, writers, and theater professionals, who also happen to be veterans.
Join us this Saturday at the Parlor for Thrillers and Laughs, a collection of seven, veteran authored 10-minute plays that are sure to amuse, startle, and thrill you. Settle in with a refreshing summer mocktail and dessert made by our friends at Jones Farm for a night you won’t forget. Shows have been sold out all season long, so get your tickets before they’re gone!