The Soldier

My first campaign was long ago,
When I was young I went away.
The soldiering, I thought I’d love it so,
I fought to live another day.

At first I learned to ply my trade,
With sword and bow and weapons new.
From boy they said a man is made,
Through drill and practice, straight and true.

Then I went to lands afar,
Across the sea in wooden boats.
There I braved battlements and boiling tar,
And stormed the enemy’s bristling moats.

The captain said we fought in vain,
With brain and blood and trebuchet.
The puddles filled with deathly stain,
I lived to fight another day.

I travelled then to other parts,
And kissed my love again adieu.
The generals eyed their plans and charts,
While we died, wept, crawled and slew.

Now we fight with other weapons,
With jets and drones we kill the foe.
While men in charge enjoy their luncheons,
But really they will never know,
Why we go abroad to hack and kill,
To die, be buried and suffer still.