OUR BRAVERY, OUR REMEMBRANCE

 

we know what we signed up for 

not for us but for love and sacrifice

for our very own family, friends and strangers 

fighting for courses and battles supposedly

maiming, incapacitating and snuffing lives which includes our very own too

Lord help us all on this course 

our medals, a beautification 

our pride is in our boots 

our uniform, our valor 

our weapons, our companion 

our reflections, our bestie

our strength and resilience is in our togetherness 

our morale makes us what we are 

some of our journey ends with salutes and medals 

others lost in mission but still saluted 

forever we will maintain this course 

my pride is staunch in gallantry 

on the battle field 

sounds and explosions makes the earth shiver in fear 

bullets flying sporadically, hungry for a host 

gallant men screaming in dire passion for victory 

husbands and brothers falling down and still wanting to fight on 

dog tags left behind with blood stains 

that was when I saw him from afar and rushed to him

he whispered to my ear “take care of them”

his tight grip fingers pierced my already blood-drenched khaki… his blood

his words pierced my heart like a sniper’s caliber 

this ought not to be his time, just not yet 

see him bleeding out, his life flashing before his eyes 

as I held him close to my bosom, uncontrollable tears ran down my face 

at that moment, I didn’t care what happened to me 

my very own gallant brother is down 

a jovial, passionate and goal-driven brother 

the only son and child of an aged parent 

his wedding is in few months 

why? why? but why?

I looked around still with my wet dusty eyes 

I saw men mutilated and struggling to pick themselves up

a once up happy faces now crying uncontrollably 

I can’t leave his body here, his respect must be paid in full

but how can I carry him? I have just one leg and a shattered shoulder blade 

this battle ground is probably my own exit to heaven

we all have such moments 

traumatic memories we always pray to go away 

memories which changes our psyche and made us vulnerable 

we become bloody and less human

we become unromantic to the soft world when we return home 

this is our cross, our pain, our tragedy 

but we will always remember that we signed up for this 

the beauty of serving your nation and humanity 

we know our rewards are in heaven 

and the bravery of our gallant fallen heroes were never in vain 

they will forever be remembered in all salutes 

@talk2leigh

(twitter & insta)

9:30am

17 Dec 2023