The Battle Cry

The bridge is long, the lake is wide,

the trees are bare, they’ve lost their pride.

and so it goes, as Winter shows its face,

the bears asleep, deep in some hidden place.

snowmen stand tall, in neighbor’s yards,

inside, the elders write Christmas cards.

the children on their aging sleds,

slide down the hills, fresh from their beds.

and me, I’m packing, a long road lies ahead,

to where, I don’t know, it hasn't yet been said.

a soldier’s life, is guided by the rules of war,

to follow with the others, I’ll do my given chore.

and as I’m waving to my son, gliding down the hill,

my backpack holds his photo, my heart does feel the chill.

here comes the bus, I dare not hesitate,

to board it now, no matter what my fate.

and as my wife and child, sleep soundly here tonight,

in some forsaken distant land, I must prepare to fight.

in my pocket lies a rosary, I count the beads each night,

if there’s a god above, he must know I’ve tried to do what’s right.

to follow his directions, through trials and tribulations,

to be a good and better man, a part of his creations.

with heavy heart, I go to battle some unknown enemy,

to kill someone I never met, disturbs the very soul in me.

and as I stand here at attention, I watch the body bags,

unloading from our waiting planes, all covered with our flags.

as tears fall from these eyes, that have seen the worst in man,

I cannot help but feel the pain, but still I do the best one can.

the scriptures say "thou shalt not kill", these words we all live by,

but many Christians go to war, and blindly heed the battle cry.

now homeward bound I leave this place of horror in disgrace,

that I have been a part of this so called the human race.

animals in their wild domain, will kill for food and territory,

while we kill for many reasons, and claim we won with glory.

now back home, I hold my wife and child, my love for them still thrives,

in these arms that once have taken, much too many lives.

I swear my hand upon the holy bible, this will be my solemn word,

no matter what the battle cry, I will not go, I will not be deterred.