Holidays for soldiers are wars to them.

New years becomes flashbacks

4th of july fireworks turn from Artillery shells to bombs

christmas turns from glass as bright as snow to World War II

And red glass to the sight of bullet holes.

It turns Halloween to a battle field of mourning to friends and foes.

And Valentines day to V day to when they returned from war and finally get to kiss again.

They use St.Patricks day as a calming place

because that's when people wear green

the opposite of red so they can get rid of the bloody bodies

dropping in their head from wars memories

that caused bruised and bumpy veins from each wrist,

each one getting darker after each shot

Of remembrance that crosses their path.

The petals of flowers they see

are people who died defending reality from the truth.

That people sacrifice their holidays to wars and celebrate living instead of joy.

And that is a painful acknowledgement in present day America.