Poets Against War continues the tradition of socially engaged poetry by creating venues for poetry as a voice against war, tyranny and oppression.
Natasha Maldonado
22 years old
New Jersey born and raised. Currently an undergraduate English major attending Kean University. I know many people who are currently serving in this war but my biggest inspiration to my war poems comes from my brother who is a Marine.
Iraq
Iraq
To tell you the truth, when my brother was over there, I hated talking about it. Just simple facts: He’s alive. He is keeping a good attitude. He’s coming home any day now.
I tried to find a way not to think of him being over there. My nights were consumed with parties and Keystone filled kegs. I searched for a solution at the bottom of every beer filled red cup and found nothing. But it was certainly enough to stop the nightmares. Information gathered on phone calls and pictures. His voice soft and shallow
with gunfire playing like the music used to. Images sent by e-mail of him and his friends holding guns in the air like an extension on their arms that has been there all along. His green eyes and caramel skin matching the everyday uniform. Fields of sand that go on forever. No California beaches with palm trees, and beautiful women in bathing suits just Iraq.
