The Soldier fights On

 

Tired weary and broken soul

A soldier

Too many battles fought

long and near ago

 

Lines wear like a map

Trailing this soldiers face

Telling its reader where

But not the why

Or the tears that have traced

 

The load soaked with sweat

Blood, tears and other things

Grows heavy

The soldier's been weary

 

Not for days

not for months

For years it seems

The battle rages on

Even though

The boots

Have long since

been a memory.

 

Fighting battles

with everyone

and none

but all the same

 

No breath unlabored

The soldier

struggles to breathe

Passing by

a sun- soaked lawn

 

This soldier scoffs

and simply walks on

 

Long past are the days

Of rest

Long past are the days

Of merry

Long ago

the soldier smiled

before the men

took the soldiers child

 

Fighting all

Fighting none

 

No one dares to claim

The agony

The pain

 

Inflicted on what America touts

Our wounded heros

"We won't let you down"

 

The soldier heard this

too many times before

On pompus breath

Arrogant men going home

To thier family of four

 

Thank you for your service

Uncle Sam dares say

A hard days work

Now relax,

Enjoy the rest of your days.

 

The soldier has found no rest

The soldier sacrificed all

The soldier came home

A barren apartment

A courtroom brawl

 

 

Ursula Kay Vos 11/11/11

 

 

Author's Note

~UKV~