Fallen Soldier

she 
     supports wounded warriors
     and fallen soldiers 
     and all that kind of stuff
           with some money
           and stickers
               on both her cars
           and boycotts
               of things she never cared that much about
                     anyway
           and words
               lots and lots of words
           typed and spoken
               about the dreadful plight
               of the fallen soldiers

so concerned
      about their plight
           she condemned the media
                and us too, I guess
      for recently ignoring
                how the fallen soldiers
                had been slighted
      she condemned the media
      for condemning her beloved president
                for his misdeeds
          she condemned the news
               for condemning him
                   instead of the news 
                       condemning those
                           who'd slighted
                               her precious
                                  fallen soldiers

she made her judgement public
     and boldly
         she damned her enemies for not caring
               about the victimized soldiers
               and caring too much instead
         about her leader's misdeeds

someone replied:
     no amount of support for the fallen soldiers
     justifies your exploitation of them
     for petty points in condemning your enemies
     or expressing your petty grievances. no 
     amount of support for the wounded warriors
     justifies your exploitation of them to put 
     some shine on your beloved president in his 
     time of need

so she condemned the attack
     i've supported them for years. always have. always
     will. don't try to make me feel guilty  

supported them how?, the other asked   

donation and stickers and words was all she could think of
            words spoken
     over holiday dinners
           and work
words spoken
     of the fallen soldiers 
          at her grandchild's recital
     spoken more loudly than need be
     so everybody knew about the fallen and wounded
               soldiers
          and especially
               about her support of them

no need to defend myself, the new wounded warrior replied

so her critic replied,
     many of us donate. many of us donate a lot. and 
     even more than with just words. we donate with action.
     lots of action. some have cooked for them and sat in 
     the cold and rain to beg for money for them. we have 
     marched and protested for their rights and recognition. 
     and still, would still never feel entitled to exploit 
     them over petty politics

the defender
     couldn't understand
          why another friend of the cause
               would attack her so hard
                   since it was obvious
                        they were on the same team
after all
     she'd been saying
           year after year
               with thousands and thousands of words
                   what needed to be said
                        as a friend of the cause
which should have been proof enough
     of her commitment
proof enough
     of what she is
           and where she belongs

some say it's the job of a true friend to gently point 
     out our flaws
so we can see the blemishes
     in full light
          and hopefully improve
             instead of just covering them up
                   with dollar store makeup         

but this one wasn't so gentle
     in pointing out flaws
so the truest friend of the fallen soldiers
     unfriended her critic
         ruthlessly
              immediately
                  without second thought
                      or mercy