The Soldiers Heart

by William P. Marino
(Billerica, MA)

The Soldiers Heart
PTSD Poetry by Liam Marino

Fifteen years old, at life's start,
Charley had a soldiers heart.
Off to Civil War, and the army
Charley left behind his mommy.

He wanted to prove, he was tough,
And before he got there, had enough.
He lied to join, and didn't realize,
How outside home, life was like.

There was too much violence and disease.
People were dying, from a sneeze.
It wasn't long before Charley got shot.
At twenty-two had a Soldiers Heart.

Charley died a few years after
Mind and body in safe pasture. 
Charlie never lived to see,
That The Soldiers Heart was PTSD.