Soliloquy To The Servicemen’s Lot Poem by Gordon D Wilkinson

Death came calling today
Called by those, calling for believers to pray
During the minarets solitary, vitriol sound
Bullets whipped up about us, all around
All hell let loose off its chains
Bringing death with the pains
Three men did not make it that far
Tangled bodies, loose limbed lay by a car
Bleeding profusely, blood soaked into the ground
Never again, will they utter a cheery sound
Behind scant cover
Senses start to recover
Firing blindly back
Repelling this attack
Just one glimpse of a face
Adrenaline rising firing at the space
Ricochets stinging
Ears ringing
Round after round spent
Anger to vent
One more glimpse was all I got
Three rounds hit, a body shot
Confused
Bemused
Over as quick as it started
The enemy had vanished, departed
Checking our comrades for life
I would not want to be the one to tell his wife
Reinforcements scuttled around
Securing this bloody battle ground
Staring at my enemies youthful face
Contorted with pain, so dead no grace
I wondered what we were doing here
Suddenly hit by the fear
Taking this one life, no matter why
Brought a tear to my eye
It’s been many years now
The terrorist has gone back to the plough
Still in times of quiet I cannot forget
Living daily with painful regret
Be a soldier and see the world
Be proud, as the flag is unfurled
This call shouted out so strong
After all these years, was it wrong?
Support the men and women who operate the line
Who will be next, your friend or mine?


Note* This was Aden back in the 60's and the thoughts are still like yesterday.