The War at Home

He put his boots down in his hometown that he'd fought for with pride Hugged his wife and jumped into his blue c10 High school graduation tassel still hanging on the rearview Prom night picture clipped into the dashboard vent Drove through a crowd of hard gray eyes and judging faces Couldn't understand, he'd done it all for them The war at home starts when the gunfire stops Takes its toll on the strongest hero's heart When the shrapnel's on the inside the scars are buried deep and they don't show You can hate the reasons and still love the soldier sent The flag your proudly flying is what they fought for, why they've bled They stood up for you don't let them stand alone From warriors to the ones you used to know In the war at home 3am a gray moonlit kitchen table A fifth of bourbon and a bible in his hands He can still taste the diesel smoke and hear the screaming See floating dandelion seeds of hot red ash A card on the fridge says welcome home daddy But he's not sure he ever made it back The war at home starts when the gunfire stops Takes its toll on the strongest hero's heart When the shrapnel's on the inside the scars are buried deep and they don't show You can hate the reasons and still love the soldier sent The flag your proudly flying is what they fought for, why they've bled They stood up for you don't let them stand alone From warriors to the ones you used to know In the war at home He pours black coffee in a paper cup this morning Behind a circle of fold out metal chairs Brothers talking about demons and forgiveness Living their lives for those they love and those that sacrificed the chance The war at home starts when the gunfire stops Takes its toll on the strongest hero's heart When the shrapnel's on the inside the scars are buried deep and they don't show You can hate the reasons and still love the soldier sent The flag your proudly flying is what they fought for, why they've bled They stood up for you don't let them stand alone From warriors to the ones you used to know In the war at home