My Dad was in the landing on Anzio, pinned on the beach for nearly a month, and when the Germans fired the big gun nicknamed Bertha, he said you could hear its thunderous roar over all of the constant roar of the other artillery. When he woke in the mornings there, he never knew how many new dead would be around him. How can a man like that still stand the roar of the thunder in the storm. I don't know. I only know it didn't seem to bother him. Yet, by the same token, I have watched other veterans react exactly as you say. Good, realistic write....Jerry

My husband was taught very young never to wake up his father from a sound sleep... dangerous. This is a haunting reminder of real hauntings that happen in the minds of heroes every day.

So real, to so many. The unpleasantness of memories from battle. Shake, jar and rattle like the muskets' prattle. Surreal work here. Jon Michael Willey

Karla,
Very profound and haunting. Excellent write! Love and Hugs~
Sheila

I am familiar with the fears, not because I have lived with them, but because I am the niece of a vietnam vet, and there were just some things he could not watch, a powerful write
God Bless
Michelle~

Strong and powerful visuals...Karla
love, Carole~

This shows a very close personal experience in a new way. Thankyou.

Poignant... This one seems so real, Karla...
Your imagery is heartfelt.
Cryssa

...strong imagery...strikes one...with fear and memories.
you give a reason to not forget Karla...
thank you...
John

This is a horror poem! Can we imagine the inability to shrug it off?

Outstanding and quite thought provoking indeed.
Sending you best wishes for a wonderful Valentine's Day.

Blessings,
~Gwendolyn

true...so true...nobody can imagine so true...well done

Great pen,enjoyed sweet lady...HUgsssssss

NIGHTmares the thunderstorms for spring are swallowing up the energy for many marches to come.

love and blessings,
Susan

Thunder does sound like bombs, particularly if it's very close--and especially if you're sound asleep. Nothing worse than being rolled out of bed by crashing thunder! ("INCOMING!!") You've captured the terror of war through vivid flashback. Extremely well penned, Karla; brava!

(((HUGS))) and much love, your twin, Karen Lynn. :(

That's it, I'm staying in. Too real, too scary, great job. Love, Bonnie

Much too true Karla. I have known way too many in my years of service. A sad write my friend.

But then he had at hand one of his brothers in arms to go to kill all those holographic dragons in front of his eyes and shoulder to shoulder his brothers don't let him fall into the void of fear.

Georg

well written poem--it will help to raise awareness of what returning vets often go through

A lifetime of reliving the horror . . . My uncle survived the Baatan Death March in WWII . . . He was a shell of a man . . .

I've sadly known far too many souls with those flashbacks, and theirs is often a life in hell.

Karla, this is powerfully written and the imagery lets the reader feel as though she is actually there. I especially liked the last line.

So true! Good job, Karla.