Marion VA Veteran Wins 1st Place In National Poetry Contest
Join us in congratulating Veteran, Robert Craft, for being awarded the 1st place award in the Rhyming category at the National Creative Arts Fest 2023.
On August 18th, 2023, the Marion VA Health Care System held it’s 2nd in-person Creative Arts Festival. The festival took place at the Celebrations Event Center in Marion Illinois, which hosted approximately 80 attendees.
Veterans from all eras showcased their artistic talents and achievements in art, music, and writing competitions. To view the photo album of the visual arts.
While locally, Veterans were awarded first and runner up places, only the first-place national winners are being invited to the National Creative Arts Festival in April.
Below, we share with you, Robert Craft’s award winning poem.
Robert Craft: “PTSD” – 1st Place Rhyming Category
Anger and Hostility
It’s what’s instilled in me
Our country tis of thee
I fought for lady liberty
I went to Iraq
Now I’m back
Off to Afghanistan
Look I’m back again
Stress and Anxiety
It’s what’s inside of me
Oh say can’t you see
I did it for lady liberty
I can’t handle this infection
I lost my complexion
Don’t recognize my reflection
Just one more injection
Depression and Misery
It’s what lives in me
I did it for lady liberty
But she turned her back to me
I remember the dead
The obituaries I read
Why not me instead?
Anger and Hostility
It’s what’s instilled in me
Stress and Anxiety
It’s what’s inside of me
Depression and Misery
It’s what lives in me
Our country tis of thee
Oh say can’t you see
I did it for liberty
This, this is PTSD