I never knew this trooper.

I had never seen his face.

Barley nineteen he goes

To fight war in Iraq.

He marries his high school

Sweetheart in hurry,

In hurry she gets pregnant.

And off he goes to Iraq.

Where is Iraq? I ask.

Somewhere there near Texas.

You go to Dallas- Ft Worth, take

A plane that lands in Iraq, he says.

Why you got enlisted? I ask.

I got ten thousand in cash.

Another ten thousand in paybacks

And all monthly paychecks.

What about patriotism? I ask.

I love my wife, I love my country.

Don’t know how to make money.

So I go to kill our enemy.

He dies fighting in Iraq.

His flag-wrapped-body is flown back.

He is buried in Arlington cemetery.

His wife cries. His mom cries. His dad cries.

To fat asses in power fighting

A far off worthless war, he

Pays price with his life,

Loving his young beautiful wife.

A life easy to be spared with.

Buying him with people’s money.