And I'll finish it off with a work of prose and poetry I wrote while overseas:
WAR
I'm
steady looking out the window
as
the gunfire starts to crescendo.
I
know it's getting to be that time,
but
the scary thing is, I feel just fine.
I
hope everything goes as planned,
just
gotta keep that .50 cal manned.
Weapons
of destruction, intent to kill;
sit
still, blood will spill, oh what a thrill.
In
my mind I'm somewhere else, no need to pretend.
Over
all the cursed yells I wonder when does it end.
I'm
suited up, gear'd for war, on the right team;
All
this death, damn what for... living the dream.
Why
are we fighting, for what cause?
Clear
my head, take a breath, pause...
Steady
position, good aim, proper breathing,
trigger
squeeze; all fundamental teaching.
I'd
be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared;
to
take another life, I wasn't quite prepared.
I
wake up tomorrow, the war is all done;
many
tears, many years, and nobody won.
Another
day, another dollar; life is so short;
find
love, and happiness, it's my last resort.
The
grandchildren are big, now in their teens
I've
gotten old and gray, and dying it seems...
Looking
back on my life, a lot have I learned;
A
decision I made, the tides they were turned.
Many
years I spent doing what was necessary;
I
loved every minute, but some of them scary.
Now
here I am, a long time in the making
My
youth in my mind, as I'm laying here shaking
For
what I was searching for, I now finally found
Only
hours before they lay my body in the ground
There's
no tears in my eyes as I start to cry
It
took long enough, and there's no wonder why
My
spirit will remain on the earth, forever I live
Memories
of me are all I that give
THE TRUTH-
Take a breath
and listen to what i say
the tunnel you
see, leads but one way
don't deviate
from the path laid before you
and think to
yourself what would Jesus do
the good times are
coming, don't get me wrong
get spiritually
prepared and stay mentally strong
i know it's hard
out there for one like yourself
every now and
then pull that book off the shelf
great words of
inspiration and stories of old
hopes and dreams
can't be bought or sold
stay focused on
the task, your head held high
some things are
certain, so don't ask why
there are those
that love you, this is for sure
a lot of evil in
the world, it's hard to stay pure
we will meet
again, much rejoicing there will be
when this
journey i make across the great sea.