on Memorial Day . . .

Poison ideas seep in,
Shrouded by thought,
Blackened earth underfoot,
The crunch of pebbles,
The stench of death,
Eyes burn, short of breath.
Finally quiet, finally still,
Came at a heavy price,
Bullets and missiles,
Tearing through the air,
Tearing metal and stone,
Tearing into flesh and bone.
Jaws locked shut and clenched,
Teeth ground done, worn smooth,
Face twitching, breaths shallow,
Muscles tightened, bracing,
Waiting for the death blow,
Shots from an unseen foe.
Adrenaline pumping fiercely,
Muscles and joints aching,
Toxins leaching into my veins,
Lactic acid, as sweat pours,
Dripping down my face,
Wishing we were back on base.
My body begins to shake,
Feeling cold, despite the heat,
Feel so vulnerable, despite Kevlar,
Jacket and helmet, no real help,
For the fear that takes control,
Every time we go out on patrol.
Too many things we’ve seen,
Bodies and limbs, blown apart,
No rhyme no reason no sense,
Dumb stupid luck, nothing else,
A thin line between death and life,
Just wanna see my kids and my wife,
Live long enough to make it home,
Please Lord, let me make it home.