But you never went to war

Puck on the couch.

But you never went to war

When I say I have PTSD
they say to me
“but you never went to war to war”

I have never been to war
but I have been in combat

I have never been to war
but I have endured many battles

I have never been to war
but I have the scars of engagement

I have never been to war
but my body remembers each conflict

I have never been to war
but I have wounds you’ll never see

I have never been to war
but my wounds bleed the clear liquid of tears

I have never been to war
but loud noises are too much to bear

I have never been to war
but my trauma gave me PTSD

I have been to war
my triggers are real

I have been to war
relived in debilitating flashbacks

I have been to war
fighting battles most humans could not bear

I have been to war
and withstood horrific ordeals

I have been to war
and I will set the world on fire with the veracity
that you do not need to be a soldier to go to war