A WARRIOR'S DYING
I am hurt my brother
Suffered by grace to see no morning's other
Beheld my last of gloriously rising sun
A sacrificial lamb fallen before bloodthirsty gun
By hatred's fiery breath undone.
This day I've fought the good fight
Under heavens tie dyed skies, for right
Under firmaments of God's great fire, goodness to bedight.
Now, fast falls foul fated eventide
My last dawning borne in this veil of pride
Sunset's gloaming a fit ending to wars bestial ride.
Hold my hand as translucent night grows cold
Still crystalline achings that fiercely to me hold.
O my greatest pain abides, never to see my babies grow old.
Tell my mother, I abidingly love her
Lived life to bring no shame
All honor to my father's name.
I've lived the best way they taught me to do
Given the world respect it's due
My word's bond always true.
I've planted honor's seed
Deep in furrows of every word and deed.
O My brother, do not for me weep
As fingers of death into me relentlessly seep
For I've done my best, my duty to keep.
Now, it is a far better place to which I go
Freed from sweat, guns, hatreds enemies sow.
Now crossing to the other side, hark
See the opaque world grow dark
See dreams of diaphanous glory with my soul embark.
Whisper again, tell me a soldier's life is not in vain
All reason and meaning left behind on battlefields insane
Leaving naught but melancholy gall...fear...terror...pain.
Now my blood runs hot down cheeks molten wet
Mingled with brisk rivulets of a soldier's sweat
Death's call but a debt warriors in the end beget.
My very life, congealed on clothing etched stony cold, and red
Lay now my broken body in peace, to rest on jungled bed
On these verdant hills, with whom my body soon will wed.
I've given my all to this sacred land on which I agonize.
My body in sanctity this holy ground will canonize
With worms this sweet and sour ground I'll fertilize
Cleanse and purify this plot with my blood baptize
Bring healing peace to this sickened land wars brutalize.
O my brother, you are my truest friend.
I know we'll see each other again...
In paradisiacal R and R in an Edenic glen
Carried by archangel's petals very heaven sends
On fragile gossamer wings blowing in the winds...
Left behind this frail existence soldiers defend
This land War Gods with mighty armies rend.
I'm going on death's swift wings today
To that place for the eternities I'll stay
Where purity of heart gives angelic advantage
To see no hot dusty faces grown weary under camouflage.
So when you see something shining from black granite pall
Reach out...I'll be there...touch me, on lustered heroes' wall.
I'm going to a place where men do not hate you
With every fiber of being try to kill you...
Gone to join charging chariots burning across your skies
Where no more will politicians spread telling lies
No more to in pain watch as pure innocence dies.
For it's a world of peace sweet heaven's imbue
Sacred peace a cantankerous world does eschew
Where bullets no longer sing, I'm bound to
No more to fear what comes with morning dew
No more to wrestle life's thorny wait-a-minute bamboo.
Watch your back, my brother, in this martial fright
God attend your crepuscular night
Energized by freedom's bright light
Beware the fiendishly bitter wars onslaught propulsive
Fomenting foul hatreds in the soul acridly active.
To outlive Nam's horrors, my brother
Hearken to enlightenment of our Earth Mother.
Just survive, through skill or luck
Waging this worlds battle's nip and tuck.
Death's slings and arrows greet with abhorrence
To very essence protect in watchful diligence.
For my distraught and haggard soul do not cry
Laid down now by savage war but to die
Grant my dying wish, ever alert to be
Keep watch in all you do vigilantly
Benignantly endowed life seek graciously.
As coming night deadens my life on earth to be
You cannot afford your here and now to mourn for me
For though I cannot now see...I plainly see
Maintain perseverance ever tenacious, my ever friend
Persist in duty unflagging to life's bitter end.
I feel my body failing, fading fast
Revealed in shining array, all the days of my past...
Fallen before thundering hooves of war's carnivorous beast
Soon reborn on the other side of death's profane feast
I see in bright Light growing dim
In perspicacious light for me waiting...celestial seraphim.
Voices heard all crackle now, as old leaves in rain's patter
Ancient parchment rustling through indolent chatter
Snapping thunder heard in fireworks pealing banter
Sounds like incoming rounds in fevered mind recesses
Rattling of an army radio in static breaks and hisses.
This is the worst day of my life
Yet, this is the best day of my life
No more to see sorrow's tarnished rife
Finally feeling no more pain...my die is cast!
Devine embrace of peace I plainly see...at last!
It shines, 0 it shines...at last!
Beaming eternal light above battlefields cast
Always to brothers true holdfast
Bode well in spirit...Survive...!
Stay...alive! ....................................