"I fought," "I save stories," and "The end of times"

I fought

The last war
I fought
for love
for money
I fought
the power
I fought
myself
like a
Pro wrestler
like a
flea bitten dog
I fought
my parents first
then my children
I fought
iIn boxing rings
and in dojos
and on street
corners in
school bathrooms
in bars
I fought
at poetry
readings and
dead end jobs
I fought
to get ahead
I fought
because
I felt
left behind
I fought
for flag
and country
for thoughts
and prayers
for retirement
benefits and
a pension
I fought
as contest
as patriot
as sailor
as religion
as husband
as son
in law
as minimum
wage worker
as angry
youth and
as bitter
old man
I fought
like everyone
before me
and all who
will come
after I
am gone
I fought
and fought
and fought
and fought
for absolutely
nothing.

I save stories

of guys
who blow
their brains
across their
front seats
next to airports
or walk
onto the
tracks into
oncoming trains
or hang
themselves in
abandoned buildings
 
I save these
stories like
pocket change
an awful
currency or
a reminder
 
of the price
of a reason
to keep on.

The end of times

The
last
of
the
blues
men
is
dead
and
gone
like
the
Bengal
tiger
the
real
poets
and
a
government
that
cares
about
the
people
so
like
they
say
on
Facebook
take
all
the
time
you
need
with
that.