I am a taxpayer am I not?

I am sitting safe and warm
in a Bakersfield Starbucks
12,000 miles from
Terrorist or Taliban

I am not troubled by
news of distant wars.
The rumblings of our empire
are not shown on the television I watch
or computer screen I read

I am a taxpayer am I not?
I support the troops.
We must do what it takes
to keep the Homeland secure.

So in 8 years,
I still don't know what
type of crater a Hellfire missile makes
after being fired from a Predator drone
I am told a six inch piece of shrapnel
can shear off a babies's leg
sharp as razors shrapnel pieces are.

I have not been told of
that terrible moment
when brave men realize
that the ammo has run out
and the choppers won't get there
in time.

Oh, I might in an odd moment
see a video of a funeral procession
in the online version of the local paper
Or a picture of an acquaintance
crying and holding the folded flag that
draped the coffin of his dead Marine son.
Or I might see a college student
with one metal leg, the other
lost to an Iraqi IED
I am told a six inch piece of shrapnel
can shear off a man's leg
sharp as razors shrapnel pieces are.

Seldom am I bothered
enough to ask why?
Or ask how?
Or ask what can we do to
fight these wars better?
Or what will it take to end them?
No leader has even bothered to ask me,
and I sure as hell haven't asked
What I can do to help?

I am sitting safe and warm
in Bakersfield Starbucks
12,000 miles from
Terrorist or Taliban

I am a taxpayer am I not?
I support the troops.
We must do what it takes
to keep the Homeland secure.

Capitano Tedeschi

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I am a taxpayer am I not? copyright Feb 6, 2009 by Jamie Jacks