When I was a young soldier, with a chip on my shoulder

I set out to prove myself to those who were older

Op Broken Gunner we joked, "no doubt we'll be smoked"

I never thought that I too would be broke

We took up our cannons and let bullets fly

We vented our hatred, imagined foes they did die

Our first week had passed us in the blink of an eye

With not a single cloud hung in the summer sky

We held the defensive, We made our great stand

Then an elderly officer came up with a plan

We abandoned our water, sleep and food can

So we could prove we were hard to this elderly man

We mocked battles, across open fields we fought

We skirmished for days, almost fifty degrees hot

And the first troops were claimed by foot rot

We made for the forests, hopeful for a cot

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Instead by a friend, I was nearly shot

We were dragging on, half dead on our feet.

We couldn't believe it was only two weeks

Grimey and beaten, lucky for hour's sleep

When the Colonel came by, he said "What a reek!"

Our numbers nearly halved, the cannons were short staffed

In grim humors we gaffed "At least we weren't draft!"

The last week of the shoot, our complaints became moot

Our bitterness took root and we, grimly resolute

We would see it through to the end, our duties not shirked unto friend

We would cry "Full Send!", unbroken despite the starts of a bend

I was a man of iron, convinced I'd not break

My pride as a soldier now fully at stake

That night we took up our rifles, bullets none to fake

And made for the forest, searching for enemies to take.

I was still new to the gear called 'night vision'

While I donned the monocle, I did listen

To the wisdom of veterans' many a mission

I was tip of the spear, I'd lead this incision

I'd outlasted many others, I'd been taken by none

Not dehydration, hunger, exhaustion nor burning sun

I can do this, I thought as I took up my gun

One day, this leaf would make a fine champion

So in that dark forest I took off half at run

My questing foot found a root left unseen

And just like that, it shattered my dream

I went to the ground without so much as a scream

Twisting as I fell to protect an expensive machine.

We laughed and joked about my potent youth

Adrenaline and bruised pride, both hid the truth

T-6,7,8 had all slid from their booth

I pressed on headless, my life changed by this sooth

Before dawn I lay down to rest, proud to be one of the best

I though upon my knowledge gained, later I awakened pained.

I tried to stand but could not, I checked my feet, finding no rot.

At dawn's light to my Sargent I say, 'I'll sweat it out, I swear I'm okay"

But he saw I was not, so I was taken away.

The pain was great but fleeting, yet it destroyed my pride

Taken from my team, I croaked out my goodbye

It is an ugly thing to see soldiers cry

Nobler by far should I simply die

I longed for that, for a time.

Five years ago now, my service long ended.

I think back to the fine soldiers I've befriended.

All faiths and creed, from which they've descended.

I'd thought us all invulnerable, a fact now contended.

I was but a man, and a man can be rended.