The Ghosts of Tal'Afar: Musings From a Warrior-Poet

By Mathew Bocian

IRAQ: 10 years and 50 poems later."The thoughts, entries and poems in this book are meant to help convey the feelings associated with a man at war. In a time of political, social and economic change at home and abroad it becomes easy to lose oneself quickly in the desire to forget - to ignore - to not care - to stay numb. Sometimes it's just easier that way. Because long after we are gone the pain and sacrifice endured will linger here. It will be in the air, in the soil, and in these pages." - Note scribbled in the journal I first began writing poetry in, during lull's in The Surge 2007. This book contains thoughts, feelings and stories from my combat deployments in the form of poetry and war vignettes.On the 4th of October, 2004 I landed in Mosul and began my one year countdown that was OIF III; I returned to Iraq in early August of 2007 for an additional fifteen months. And now, looking back over the last ten years I wonder to myself - was it worth it? And despite the soul-searching and lost friends and soldiers, I still cannot answer that question. And I think that is what jolts me the most.Mathew Bocian served as a Captain in the United States Army with the Stryker Brigade and was deployed to Mosul and Tal'Afar in 2004 - 2005, and to Baghdad for The Surge in 2007 - 2008. He left the Army in 2012 and now uses his poetry as a way to heal from the mental anguish of war, while attempting to express to readers the harsh realities of the war on terror. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, and holds a master's from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School for Public and International Affairs.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1520392052
• ISBN13: 9781520392059
• Release Date: January 2017
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 207 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.5" x 5.3"