A Soldiers Day

poem by: Alex McEwan
Written on Jul 04, 2013

Rhodesia 1977
A soldier’s other day


Morning comes as the sky turns light
Chasing away the blackness of night
Landscape before me, the river in view
Wondering how the day will ensue

Check my weapon over again and again
Something to do to keep me sane
Look through my scope in to the bush
Safety off with a fingers push

Figures move in the thick under growth
This part of my work I, really loath
Eight of them come all are with arms
Birds fly from trees, shriek their alarms 

Silence is broken with the bark of my gun
The body goes back and lies in the sun
All hell breaks loose as my troop join in
A claymore mine, then adds to the din 

Battle continues, thirty seconds it takes
Half a minute, decided their fates
These men died for what they craved
Today how many civilian lives we saved 

 

Tags: deep, confused, scary,

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Trevor Cartwright commented:
Alex, your poem really captures a soldier's inner turmoil. It is not easy to kill, even if it is for the greater good. Your work makes me want to study the Rhodesian conflicts! It sounds so interesting, yet I know very little about it.
greg woods commented:
Nice description Alex, well done.
greg woods commented:
Nice description Alex, well done.

 

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