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The Injured Brain

Minerva Garcia, Microbiologist

Minerva A. Garcia, MLS, MT (ASCP), MS

How fragile the brain? 
The injured brain?
The American soldier by name 
Whom has stood the test of all times 
without fame

Risking his own life for ours 
Would you do the same?
Would you have his back?
He dies for us, that’s a sure 

For sure:
His only guarantee are the shores 
His rest among the shores for sure 
He has performed all the tours for sure

His injuries gone unnoticed 
Still battling all for sure 
Their complaints gone never noticed 
Signs of brain injuries without one 

It’s a hard task for a proven soldier 
Whom has repeatedly died his hurts 
without being heard
Required to prove but, still alive 
Life proves you’re a hero if you died saving one’s 

They’re all indeed hero’s 
With a social security ID wrapped 
around their neck 
Their Purple Heart and blood 
The Army will not see it 

With symptoms of traumatic brain injury (TBI):
Vertigo, headaches, anxiety, fatigue
Stress, sleep apnea, confusion, vomiting, memory loss, and instability and so on …

All in all 
Unable to hold relationship
Odd jobs in the tries 
Always dismissed and promised of good byes 

These are the future
Of an Army soldier 
Who had the task 
Known as a Firing Mortar

He joined the Army 
A perfect score 
In his military aptitude test 
Now, struggle to read and convince others 

Who now he is 
It is not who he should be 
To try to convince others 
Who he is now, he not really him but, he is 

Is a classic story of a true hero? 
Whom has sacrificed his own life 
Returns home to his wife 
Now, she doesn’t know him

It’s a struggle of all of the battles 
Where confusion becomes reality 
Here, in this real world 
This hero can’t seek proof

As his own military command 
Doesn’t buy his symptoms 
As all dismissed 
His price are heaven compared to his burdens 

His left all alone 
His wife leaves him 
His now, becomes
Glue to his basement 

Nowhere else to go, trying too hard to survive 
Aiming for a college degree 
Unable to remember simple tasks 
He now, must contempt to giving up

By definition, hero’s never gives up
This one has been driven not by will 
But, by his mental brain injury to do just that 
Even as he struggled, he not will to give up

In his heroic brain 
He’s been bread not to give up 
He started a Facebook Page 
To relieve others like him 

In his platoon 
Also, dozens like him 
His symptoms are more than in his head 
The VA, tells him “Go home, you’ll improve!”

This solider knows better 
They’ve already told him 
Just what, already heard 
You can only trust a grenade 

His only hope, in his head 
Still, not giving up 
He seeks out jobs 
With knocked of sounds in his head 

The doors bell rings 
No one’s home 
Still, he opens the door 
No human presence, all in his head

He relinquished his heroic pride 
Prefers to try as all soldiers do
He goes back to his medic 
They tell him “Dehydrated, drink water”

He knows lies 
He recognizes hopes
Here, there’s none 
He prefers to die but, heroes never lose hope 

They have in their heart 
Letters written by them 
God just like them 
Wake up, you not ready to go 

As they wake up 
The sun comes for them 
You sacrificed your life 
It’s me coming again, am your only friend 

Don’t give up 
Don’t crawl on your bed 
Don’t you ever think you just a pretend 
You been severing, suffering from TBI, 
traumatic brain injuries 

It is no joke 
Others may dismiss your symptoms 
Oh, no not I 
I, was once’ s like you 

My suggestion to you 
Write a letter to the Pentagon 
Grab your heroic peace 
Piece out all the puzzles 

Find a healthy brain cell
However, perhaps one 
Gather all your platonic platoon soldiers 
Protect their hearings by fighting your lives 

It’s now, not later identifiable object
Blows safe to explain brains injuries
That is to prove experiences of TBI’s 
As if hit by a truck, roadside bomb or collision

It’s all too sad:
To leave a soldier parked in his basement 
Where no one hears his cries 
Unfair because, he heard all of ours 

This is your Poet, Minerva A. Garcia