Brothers – Mary Gauthier

War in my baby from my breast
Now my name in rank cover my chest
Twenty-three hours I flew and wept
Twenty-three hours I never slept

Wiped my face, changed my soaking bra
Told my body not to feel at all
Tried to be like you, what must I do
To prove that I’m a brother too?

I thought RPGs were fireworks
That’s how green I was at first
Blood blistered feet, black and blue
I slid inside my blood filled boots

Seventeen-pound pack, push you on my back
Spilled my blood on the road, man, I carried my load
Kept you in my view, I’d die for you
Don’t that make me a brother too?

It’s okay to cry, that’s what you said
But if I do I’m damned anyway
I learned to cry without a sound
‘Cause I’m afraid you’ll put me down

You broke my heart on Veteran’s Day
Don’t you understand the words you say?
You raised a flag for the men who served
What about the women? What do we deserve?

I was just like you when the bullets flew
I had your back, you had mine too
Brothers in arms, your sisters covered you
Don’t that make us your brother too?

Say it for me, say it for you
Your sisters are your brothers too