PTSD Survivor Poetry by Brandon Davis
Wednesday, June 6th, 2012 • PTSD Guest Post: Survivors Speak •
Four Man Stack
By Brandon Davis (A Company, 1-5 Cavalry, 2nd Platoon, US Army)
We all line up in a four man stack.
We kick in the door with a splintering crack.
Run into the house, and what do we see?
It’s another hadji with an RPG.
Shoot him in the chest or shoot him in the head.
It doesn’t really matter as long as he’s dead.
Run into the next room, fill it with lead.
Look where I shot and now a kid’s dead.
Now I’m back home with my bottle of Jack.
And I never have to go back to Iraq.
Family and friends are glad to see me.
And everything’s fine until I dream.
Then I’m right back in the four man stack.
And I’m kicking in the door with a splintering crack.
Run into the house and what do I see?
The dead little kid just looking at me.
I look into his eyes and I know he’s right.
And I wake up sweating, can’t sleep all night.
If you thought you knew me now you see.
Scratch the surface there’s a whole new me.
I’m unforgiven and I hate myself.
And guilt fills up my emotional shelf.
It breaks my heart cause now I can see.
That I’m just a vet with PTSD.
Brandon Davis served in Iraq attached to A Company, 1-5 Cavalry, 2nd Platoon, US Army. His experienced many combat situations and was diagnosed with PTSD upon his return home. He also endured a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) prior to his honorable discharge from service. He wrote this poem for his brothers in arms as well as to express the thoughts and feelings he was and still is experiencing after returning home from Iraq.
Tags: survivor poetry, Veterans healing
Hi Brandon, this is a beautiful poem. I just wanted to say thank you for your fight. I won’t forget that I read this.
I am so moved by your poetry Brandon. I am mom to a son with pts and I wanted to give you a hug ..hang on. It can get better. I’ve watched him suffer and work really hard and he has good days now as well as difficult ones. It s getting better. So hugs from a mom who loves you too….