24 HOURS
Hot
Triple canopy jungle,
one hundred ten degrees.
Humid.
Leaches sucking,
ants crawling,
bugs biting.
In position
Must be quiet.
Sun going down,
Rain is in the air.
Getting cold;
must be all of seventy degrees.
Claymores set.
Waiting
Lined along the trail,
hoping no one comes by.
Dark now.
Freezing, wet from the rain.
Damn.
Have to stop a sneeze,
or give us away.
People talking.
Damn sure not English.
Tense,
adrenalin flowing.
Let them center on line, claymores bang,
auto's chattering,
smell of cordite,
ears ringing,
but all is quiet now.
Same thing tomorrow.
Only nine months and a wake up to stay alive.