Forever War 
By Anla-Shok


I struggled to hold my rifle still, as my body felt the thrill
Of the booming of the bombs and the spray of sand they spill
Recovered from that awful quake I forced myself to stand up straight.
Prepared to aid the charge that my unit was to make.

The crashing of the shell, a force shook the earth and hell!
But I must run on, ignoring the two fellow men that fell.
My rifle's loud report, a piercing, dreadful sort,
With it I dispatched the guardsman, perched atop his fort.

We took the fortress when, as we had done just then,
The enemy amassed and charged the fort again.
Bullets flew and mortars soared, bodies fell and grenades roared,
As friends and enemies alike were mercilessly gored.

We couldn't hold it long, and soon we heard the song,
Of the bugle sounding sharply, with the order to be gone.
We beat a quick retreat, with their bullets at our feet,
And their hopes to make them and our chilled, sore bodies meet.

Hornets fast as light buzzed around us in mid flight.
As we raced across the fields praying to be spared their bite.
Some died shot from behind, as they raced on with the line.
While others turned to fire and buy the rest some precious time.

Just when we seemed safe and sound, I thought to turn around, 
And felt a hammer's blow that hurled me to the ground.
I saw how my chest bled, I figured I'd be dead,
But then a blessed Field Medic pulled me up to where we'd fled.

The rescue choppers took the survivors, by the book,
And after we took off I gave the field one final, lasting look.
And the one thing I've not forgot (for we couldn't save the whole lot),
Was that I watched in horror as my wounded friends were shot.

My wounds healed well in time, and I was sent back to the line,
Still unable to forget those who had worse fates than mine.
As Sarge rambled on again of the next storehouse to defend,
I realized the grim truth; this war will never end.