To Become A Soldier (Didactic) Poem by Gert Strydom

To be a soldier
get your country to call you up
to a place where you listen and shut-up
to defend those whom you hold dear

or join the military at your own choice
and in basic training (boot camp)
listen to the instructor’s voice
even if he looks wicked like a devil or a tramp

follow instructions to the letter
do everything physical
and drill and drill
while you hope that things will become better,

as they probably never will
while they train you day and night
and especially teach you how to kill
while staying out of the enemy’s sight,

on instruction run from tree to tree,
in full battle dress
and keep going when others are in distress
even if you have got to wee-wee.

If you are up to it, join a special commando unit
or the parachute brigade
while you show them of what you are made
and then really enjoy it.

Wait until they sent you off to war
while you are a different person than you had been before:
a specialist in creating havoc,
in destruction and bloody gore.