0621

2007

First Version

Prose Poem

By Carlos Mauricio

0621 (Radio Operator)

I turn you on in a different Hell.

Flipping the Arabic television remote to a channel, we listen to music far from home. Red-Hot Chili Peppers- Snow (Hey Oh)comes on… (After the US invasion aftermath at the end of full state control of Iraq in 2003, a period of considerable growth occurred in Iraq’s broadcast media, the ban of satellite dishes was no longer in place) Sounds of our home base in Southern California stream into our ears the cold winter months in the Haditha Triad. The satellites signals were available to all homes, and American music much like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers streamed into distant homes for the first time via MTV. I love T.V!

Satellites in orbit , to the present day were memories that I pawned for a whopping 100 bucks. Transmissions that carry the lovely way we communicate.

I can hear the eggs cooking after we found a new house, a new “Command Center” for the day, M16’s in the house clicking to safe. Man it feels great to eat some real food for once even if they are chicken eggs, instead of a boxed MRE (Meals Ready to Eat).

The T.V stays on, singing, someone changes the channel by accident looking for the volume button on an Arabic controller.. Oh here we go. You thought reality t.v was interesting.? Promotion of recruiting through act of resistance acts on a channel that is aired 24 hours a day affiliated with Al-Qeda and Saddam Regime Broadcasting Anti-U.S Attacks.

I must say it pissed some of the Marines off in the room, but we continued to watch this propaganda on the television set, clips of suicide bombs and IED explosive attacks, like our version of “Cops” hearing the tune Bad Boys, Bad Boys, watcha going to do when they come for you…… Back to MTV Middle East, back to being at ease with those American tunes.

People Hate us and love us at the same time, I have a satellite on my back, it weighs about 60 pounds with the radio that transmits to the world, so do my prayers for a Peaceful Planet, I like to envision ( I would love to send leaflets one day of prayer , in the mist of a faraway place such as the Haditha Triad).

I am reading a book of four agreements, it’s funny how it talks about our word is God and to be impeccable with our own words, as we battle in two spectrums of ideologies. A T.V transmitting from a far away place, but the same footage at a specific rate and time.

I transmit many signals, here In a far away place, and the gift of communication, Christmas again… Guess who is the most popular man? Well the Marine with the Irridium Satellite Phone. Well the 0621 (Radio Operator), more Newport’s for me. More bills for Uncle Sam, but I smile because everyone gets to transmit a call home, thanks to our satellites in orbit.

I say it is a gift, but I ain’t no Santa Claus, just a Marine with the power to transmit to the world and change channels.

The conclusion, what you transmit can change mood and life fast.....

.......Click safety off, as I leave condition one, magazine inserted, bolt forward, safety-off, ejection port cover closed, now a deadly transmission of force as we prepare to shoot. Damn, the sorrow for the receiving end, but maybe we will be televised one day.