C O M B A T
	the Literary Expression of Battlefield Touchstones ™
	ISSN 1542-1546 Volume 02 Number 03 Summer ©Jul 2004

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War

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Man's ancient disease, for all time unwavering
Through all ages soldiers are dying

            Screaming
            Mourning

The "Great War"
Heed your nation's call

            Across the ocean of mud,
            soldiers in a trench, so full of dread
            The whistles blow,
            a mindless charge adds to the dead

            The War to end all War's they alleged
            Their own words, they ignored what they said

World War Two overcame all
The smoke of the innocent would soar

            Day of Infamy, Midway and Sicily
            Countless names, screaming and bloody

            Bullets fly in every direction
            A target on their own discretion

            In the confines of war
            All guns shall roar

            Women and child engulfed in the fire
            War does not choose, all will face the dire

            Air Force, Navy, Marine and Ranger
            All soldiers have their own danger

            For all sides will suffer
            There is never a selective buffer

            Some will lie
            Bullets never lie

            The world did rejoice
            No more blood or dying voice

The jungles of Vietnam
Around every corner waited invisible harm

            The NVA race to the fight
            Even through bright napalm might

            Through the tree and fern
            Come running soldiers faces stern

            Throughout an endless day
            Soldiers fall, in a bullet ridden way

            Through a sleepless night
            Both sides question their plight

            US and NVA soldiers will die
            Bullets cant lie

            There was no rejoicing crowd
            The country torn, protestors loud

            The names they call me, uncalled for, unfair
            Can't comment unless they're been me and been there

            Government chose to ignore
            Then why send me to your war

The Iraqi war fought within blood, grime and dust
Turns metal, even bodies to dust

            Black oil stained sky
            Buries the blood stained thoughts all soldiers will cry

            Warped, charred smoking skeletons of war
            A viscous oily filth covers deaths door

            Refugees spill across the desert in a human wave
            Fleeing from the open Saddam created cave

The soldier will exist because of the ancient sickness
Only temporary peaceful bliss

As the soldier will always wait
Frantic opening of their mind's gate

I am full of alarm
Yet with all I race to met the harm

Why do I do it
The man beside me has the same spirit

We fight for our country, our family and our home
Or father brother and mother, even the unknown

Heed these words before sending soldiers to war
All of their voices will soar
I don't want to hear anyone scream anymore

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by Reagan Davis
... who is an aspiring writer, currently working on a novel entitled Kill One, Terrorize a Thousand; this is his first published poem.

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