The rain fell outside my window,
And I breathe rain inside
With my groceries. The rain resumed
And the traffic flowed. And roared.
When the rain stopped
The traffic sounded,
And the clouds appeared.
The sun comes occasionally.
It’s another New England day.
Not at My Best
By Kimberly Green
—Fort Smith, AR
Forgive me if I’m not at my best.
My strength and fortitude have been put to the test,
for you see I’ve been to war.
My body bares scars 
and I harbor memories of death and gore.
Allow me to put my mind at rest.
Forgive me if I’m not at my best.
I’ve been shot at and hit many times;
Sometimes I feel I have nine lives.
If I’m foggy and ill at ease,
it’s because I have recurring dreams.
My Purple Heart rests in my war chest.
Forgive me if I’m not at my best.
Sometimes I’m in a dark space;
I am alive today because of God’s grace.
I strive daily to overcome
combat images which leave me numb.
I am what I am, I attest.
Forgive me if I’m not at my best.

“A soldier’s life is never the same 
when they have been to war.”