The Small Army

I wanted to apologize to all of you . Some of you carry helmets of memories and others wounds and bruises of our past freshly scarred . And some of you carry a hole in your heart with a thumb in your mouth . To small , too tender for this war. And I think it’s time I say sorry . Sorry because I haven’t been carrying you well . I forgot to embrace you when you needed compassion . When you were bleeding out , I forgot to tend to your wounds because they were my own . Because I’ve been ashamed . Ashamed of how they saw me . That I started viewing this entire army as worthless as if you haven’t been fighting tooth and nail for me . As if you aren’t all on your last breath , gasping . I was Ashamed of where we came from . But look at you . All of you . Despite the ripped teddy bear from our childhood home . Despite grief crowding your camps like old unwelcome guest  . Despite the wars you’ve endured the silent and the loud you kept going . And I’m proof of that . Because I’m still here . We are still here . But now,  I want you all to rest . I want you to sleep like you never have before . I’m going to take it from here . And I’m going to make all of you proud . Don’t worry . I won’t be alone . We never have . You Watch me . You watch us now .