Scars

by Cliff Lake

They call him hero,
But that doesn’t heal the scars.
Memory is too near, so
He only tells the stars.
If he can ever get clear though,
He might quit the bars,
Where they call him hero,
But never see the scars.

Ten years and a day since he went away,
Volunteered to protect his land.
He had hardly got in and the fighting began,
Still he was proud to make his stand.
The 12 hour flight, boots a bit too tight,
His training tested weapon in his hand.
But the intel went bad, and they knew they were had,
And surviving became the new plan.

They call him hero,
But that doesn’t heal the scars.
Memory is too near, so
He only tells the stars.
If he can ever get clear though,
He might quit the bars,
Where they call him hero,
But never see the scars.

The rockets were bursting all around, then the wheels hit the ground
The bullets were flying before he got off the plane.
He watched one, then two go down, the very air was screaming sound,
They had to make cover, there was no time to complain.
No safety to be found, could not even turn around,
All self-defense and no gain.
They found themselves in full surround, that was how it all unwound,
The speeches from back home didn’t meet the pain.

They call him hero,
But that doesn’t heal the scars.
Memory is too near, so
He only tells the stars.
If he can ever get clear though,
He might quit the bars,
Where they call him hero,
But never see the scars.

Captive three years and a day, got home, got back pay,
His uniform now rests easy in a drawer.
He looks at it now and again, cannot remember when
The last time it made it out the door.
But his boots still keep their shine, he will always make the time
For that mirror finish reflecting from the floor.
Sometimes he catches the news, wishes he could express his views
On the worthless wounding wages of war.

They call him hero,
But that doesn’t heal the scars.
Memory is too near, so
He only tells the stars.
If he can ever get clear though,
He might quit the bars,
Where they call him hero,
But never see the scars.

Cliff Lake 3/16/2026
Copyright © Clifford Lake 2026