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Open Poetry #26
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The Night Before
| Open Poetry #26 |
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The Night Before |
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ShaolinsOnlyPoet Junior Member
since 2003-02-17
Posts 31Brooklyn, New York |
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE THE BOMBING, AND I WAS NOT ALONE, ..IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE, MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE I HAD COME TO THIS TOWN TO TAKE OUT THE REPUBLIC GUARD AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF…… THE KIDS HAVE NO YARD? THE SAND FOR A PLAYGROUND, NO BALLFIELD HERE TO SEE SOME OF THE KIDS WE SAW HAD NO SHOES ON THEIR FEET I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE NO COMFORTS OF HOME, JUST THE DESERT AND SOME TREES. MY GAS MASK BY MY SIDE, AND MY BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, I'M EATING MY RATIONS, IN THIS FAR DISTANT LAND. WITH GUNFIRE AND MISSILS AND WEAPONS, OF ALL KINDS, WILL I MAKE IT? WILL THEY MAKE IT? THE THOUGHT CAME TO MY MIND. FOR THIS LAND WAS DIFFERENT, SO DARK AND SO DREARY, I’M A UNITED STATES SOLDIER, WOULD I SEE CLEARLY. THE SOLDIER'S LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR IN THIS TEMPORARY HOME. THE FACES WERE SO GENTLE, AROUND US SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED, A UNITED STATES SOLDIER. CURLED UP ON A PONCHO…, THE FLOOR FOR A BED? WAS THIS THE HERO, OF WHOM I'D JUST READ I REALIZED THE FAMILIES, THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS, WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT. SOON ‘ROUND IRAQ, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE, A BRIGHT AND HAPPY DAY. THEY WILL ALL ENJOY FREEDOM, EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE'S LYING HERE. I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER, HOW MANY FELT SCARED AND ALONE, ON A COLD.. SANDY FLOOR, IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME. THE VERY THOUGHT, BROUGHT A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES AND STARTED TO CRY. THE SOLDIER AWAKENED, AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "PLEASE DON’T CRY …. THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE, I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD… MY COUNTRY… MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL, AND WE BOTH SHIVERED, FROM THE COLD EVENING'S CHILL. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ON THAT COLD, DARK.. NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR SO WILLING TO FIGHT. THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, AND WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED, "YOU'VE LIVED ANOTHER DAY SOLDIER , MAKE SURE, ALL IS SECURE." ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT, I WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, NIGHT.... AFTER.... NIGHT..., THOUGH SOME MAY NOT MAKE IT, CONTINUE TO PRAY..., FOR OUR SAFE RETURN, TO OUR LAND........U.......S.......A.......! |
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| © Copyright 2003 Candii - All Rights Reserved | |||
Mysteria 
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED, AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "PLEASE DON’T CRY …. THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE, I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM, I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD… MY COUNTRY… MY CORPS." THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER AND SOON DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP. An excellent look at war over there, the emotions, the backdrop of fear in a land of sand, and sweat. I commend you for writing from your heart to the soldiers, they are the saving grave of the USA. |
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juliek086 Junior Member
since 2003-05-31
Posts 13Arizona |
Very powerful piece. Sad that it hold such truth. |
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