It was a steel core that ripped through his chest
Dug a gaping hole through the bullet proof vest
Wound ballistics rummaged and tore tissue
Muscle, blood and bone gave in right through
The propellant stung and burnt his skin
The pain inside numbed him from within
He looked down at his now reddening stock
Surprise soon turned and merged to shock
He fell down on the ground and lay there
As a face loomed above him in his despair
His buddy spoke words which were distant
His thoughts drifted in a limbo that instant
Its caliber was 7.62 millimeter
Now it made his feeble life wither
It was his soul’s coldest dark winter
With death thrusting an evil splinter
He could feel his life force draining
Bit by bit his consciousness waning
He knew this day would come knocking
And bring in deaths spiteful mocking
In flashes he remembered his kin
Old acquaintances through the din
Friends, buddies and family did he see
Who by his side his heart longed to be
Life as he knew it, was lingering at its very end
Everything he had ever been, was now penned
His heart ached when he saw the futility of it all
His soul ached as grim reaper gave the final call
Helplessly his mind blanked out in darkness
As overwhelming pain engulfed in harshness
His mind in silence accepted his gloom
His mind knew it was his eternal doom
If life could be lived differently he would choose peace
If his beloved saw him now, his misery would cease
But now he lay asunder in a land far off with jihadi blazing guns
In throes of darkness he saw loneliness amidst a thousand suns
Would he a soldier be if given a second run
Or would he relish life and love by the ton
Would he want life with the same fate of doom?
With no one to comfort his sentence of gloom
Realization seeped through and spoke
Without life and love he was but broke
The Boy Scout adventure was now over
He would want a life much more sober
Life could be just fine by a meadow
With canvas and poetry for the dough
Sprinkle of some friends by his side
Churning laughter through life’s ride
That will only be just a dream
Now he lay in deaths regime
Maybe he lived the best he knew
Maybe his life was red not blue
Maybe Providence had got his life right
And sent him for that righteous fight
Maybe after all fate was not so bad
His life for his men, ohh was he glad
His comrades saw his final story
A fight for just honour and glory
His life had he sacrificed for his men
The truth of it all struck him just then
His life was worth, for it was lived for others
For his family country and military brothers
He sighed as satisfaction seeped through
His life seemed now to be of a better hue
Slowly his sparkling eyes closed
Surely his failing heart composed
For country and love; the end he braced
With open arms his death he embraced
