BERRY'S SACRIFICE

Many young lives are lost in the military every single day. The fight continues and heroes are born from every battle

They said Berry died...
I don't know how to feel inside
We rode together for over 2 years
We shared stories and our lives

Berry wasn't anything special
To be honest, he was just like me
He was just a simple ordinary soldier
He believed in the land of the free

When things got bad he pushed me
Berry kept a lot of us alive
Yet, he said he wasn't a hero
He just wanted us all to survive

I carried his bloody body
I just wanted to get him back
I watched as Doc treated him
I saw all the wounds from the attack

It was Berry's third tour over here
Fighting in a cauldron of burning mess
Watching madmen kill half the populace
While we did our best to save the rest

I will miss my good friend Berry
Yet, I don't really have time to grieve
We are rolling again this morning
We have to chase down a few leads

Everyone is achingly quiet
The same thing is on all our minds
Maybe we will be like Berry
Shot down in our prime

We can't afford much time to think about it
There is still months left on our time
All we can do is watch each others back
Just like Berry once watched over mine.

© 2013 Eddie Phillips

Author's Note

So this poem was a hard one to write. Many young lives are lost in the military every single day. I wrote this on Veteran's Day but I never released it. It tells a story I hope. Be blessed and to my brothers and sisters out there be as safe as you can be!

Baby Ricochet I used your picture because it fit.

Reviews

[Rita L. Sev]

This tells more than a story, Eddie - you tell Truth here, that many don't acknowledge. Thank you for sharing this...

[Frieda P]

This sent shivers up my spine Eddie. Really tugs at the heart strings, sorry my friend.

[Eddie Phillips]

I change names to tell this but I also wanted to make a point. We send our young and brightest over to fight and we lose them everyday. I have lost many friends who were just starting their lives to the horror over there. It tears at you. Men and women who will not come home because they were willing to sacrifice all for their beliefs. Thank you Frieda for reading and understanding this poem. It was written to honor the 5 Friends I have lost over the last 10 years.

[Frieda P]

It is horrific and heartbreaking, there really are no words to suffice.

[Baby Ricochet]

What did they keep telling us? "Don't get emotional and focus on the mission." Yeah, right.

[Eddie Phillips]

Its always the politicians saying that. They never see the horror or the pain of sacrifice. I wanted to honor my brothers and sisters who gave it all for their beliefs. I also wanted to let the civilians understand the mind of the military soilder, Marine, Sailor, Soldier, and Airman that have to make that hard call. We fight for our country but itn the end we fight for our family that is in the fight for us. Sorry to get so emotional. I get mad because many politicians and poetic vacillators do not get the point of SACRIFICE! Thanks for reading my brother..

[Baby Ricochet]

Our lieutenant was always telling us not to let our emotions get the better of us and he got shaken up bad when one of his men got hit. He tried not to let us see it but he couldn't help it.
I think he lost more sleep than any of us agonizing over decisions made and how he could have done better. He came home in one piece just like I did and I think he felt guilt about that. Like he should have done a better job keeping our asses covered. He was 23 years old and Iraq was his first combat deployment. I think he did an incredible job. We were lucky to have an officer like him. I don't feel any guilt about not getting hit. I feel a lot of remorse for what we had to do to survive and a horrible sense of loss for all the guys in our platoon that came home in a coffin or missing limbs. The poems I write about the occupation are meant to drive home just how horrific war really is and how we were duped into a Neocon pipe dream that those in charge at the time should have known better than to undertake. We were lied to and those of us who served paid the price for those lies and so did the Iraqis. America seems to have forgotten about the whole thing but we won't will we.

[Eddie Phillips]

That I truth brother. I agree with you. We give so much. What blows me away is the age of some of our guys who give. I grow angry with the politicians and knuckleheads that ignore that sacrifice. You know I love what you write. I think it honors our fallen brethren and keeps attention on the ignorance of the situation.

[Joyce S. Greene]

A deeply moving, heart-felt tribute to your comrade-in-arms, Eddie. How maddening it must be to see those who are fighting beside you fall. I take off my hat to all of you. You are all heroes of the highest calibre.