The Lover, A Soldier prayer.

Soldier goes off to War. Need kind and sweet memories to keep them human.

                     The Lover (A soldier prayer)
 
Poor boys and men.
Roads lead to War.

 
Young woman with a  sweet smile.
Silk dress.
Smelling like sweet flowers.

 
Whisper,  "let's dance tonight.
You shall go to War."

 
"Tonight we need to create photos for the heart."

 
"Memories to keep you warm when you are lonely and afraid."

 
Young man brings the sweet Angel close.
Whisper kind words of love and thankfulness.

 
Soldier stand alone.
Cleans his M-16.
Death is all around him.

 
He closes his eyes.
He remembered.
The smell of flowers.
The feel of the silk dress.

 
The sweet smile of his love.

 
Keeps him human.

 
                  John Castellenas
                  4 April 2009
 
 
 

Author's Note

I stood alone on guard duty on the border of Iraq. Didn't think of War. I thought of beautiful faces and family.
Coyote

Reviews

[E. Leo Wells]

Do a little soldier poetry myself ...fought the demons and the devil, walked the trail and waded the rivers, ...you stuff is good, Soldier stand alone. Cleans his M-16. Death is all around him. nice verse, working on some new stuff ....keep writing and posting
E Wells KY

[Cryingkate]

Hope you made it home Dear Soldier E.Leo Wells ! I send you a Thank you for your service for all of us.
And I send A Song of hope with my tears that Mankind will someday overcome the war machine and live together in Peace.
May someday the only war we make is the war cry for Peace.

[Nancy Lee Shrader]

Beautifully Written.

[Dakota]

You brought me to tears! My husband says the only thing that keeps him alive is to think of us. Truer words were never spoken then what you've wrote so wonderfully here! Thank you for this piece!

[Chloe..Across the Unive..]

Beautiful thoughts you had and have here..
So many nights and days from those you love.. i hate it for our military family.


Soldier stand alone.
Cleans his M-16.
Death is all around him.


He close his eyes.
He remembered.
The smell of flowers.
The feel of the silk dress.

sure says it all.. TRUE! very nice read so glad you are home with those beautiful faces and family.

Chloe

[Ladysue]

OMG this was phenomenal. Wonderfully expressed and heartfelt. I love the last two lines a great deal!

[GrownUpTime]

wow, thats so amazing and heartfelt

[Art Sun]

A visually effective expression of thought through poem...one is left but to decide his own fate when within war humanism can slip away ...

nice work...

[AnthonyBrumley]

This would be a great peice for a poetry slam. Makes me think about the times when I was filled with such emotion that nothing short of a dark treck through a barren landscape would bring me back to the beauty of the now.

[Sidewalk]

Do you still remember the smell of cordite and clp? Sometimes all I smell in this country is burning hair and week old socks. I think the 5 stanza might be reviewd a little, nobody cleans their gun if there's s**t going on." Memories to keep you warm when you are lonely and afraid." I also appreciated this.
Thanks man, it reminds me of what's waiting at home

[Jacqueline Lopez]

Now this is AMAZING, because what keep many men alive is women regardless whether it's their wives, girlfriends or lovers. I feel that just a female touch can help a man survive. EXCELLENT WRITE!

[Abhinav]

another great job sir......it reached my heart again
touching