Andrew

Halfway ‘round the world from home,

Fighting for a noble cause,

Protecting our liberty,

Doing the job the best you can,

Thousands of souls fighting.

Dreaming of being back at home,

Where it would be just an average lazy day,

Like any other October Saturday,

You could be oblivious to the rest of the world,

Enjoying a comfortable life.

Daily patrols yield danger,

Insurgents lurk all around,

Never knowing your enemies from your allies,

Heroic and terrified all at once,

And in a flash you’re gone.

There’s really no difference at home,

No world-stopping moment,

In fact no change at all,

Until the soldiers show up at the door,

Bringing the news of your death.

At first it is painful,

Just knowing you won’t be there,

Our community mourns your death,

But remembers your life of honor,

Until one day, it feels life can go on again.

A/N: This was written about a soldier from my high school who was killed in action in Iraq last October. He was very proud to be a Marine, it had been his dream since he started high school and we are all proud of how he sacrificed himself.