Hatred.
It lingers like smoke
Ceaselessly floating through a cigar bar,
Or like a tsunami of soot
Kicked up from an IED.
I carried it inside me,
In case of an emergency.
We fired weapons in hatred,
And it felt good to release
That negative energy.
We were weaving knots of war
Where malice begets malice.
Compassion.
Left alone in the street,
Shrouded by plumes of cordite,
Forgotten like a lost child.
As chaos erupts around her,
She clutches her companion:
Hope.
She never lets it go.
We lock eyes,
And I remember what it was like
To be so young.
Poet, musician and former USMC combat veteran Benjamin Fortier has finally published his latest book PHANTOMS, covering his deployment to Iraq in '06-'07.
Follow Ben here.
What’s happening at VetRep…
Listen to our interview this week with Ben Fortier on the Savage Wonder Podcast.
VetRep is thrilled to present “God of Carnage” by Yazmina Reza for the month of September. A playground altercation between eleven-year-old boys brings together two sets of Brooklyn parents for a meeting to resolve the matter. At first, diplomatic niceties are observed, but as the meeting progresses, and the rum flows, tensions emerge and the gloves come off, leaving the couples with more than just their liberal principles in tatters.
Tickets have been selling out, reserve yours early before they’re gone!
We are currently offering multiple dates for our online Playwriting for Veterans classes, and 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.