There are boys who are growing into men, amongst the battlefields rising number of dying and dead. Those who paint the ground burgundy slowly as they bled. Boys who are barely old enough to call themselves men.
Their growth means nothing, even with guns in their hands. True growth comes from the lessons they learn and those who lived through the battles fought in the sand. For those who hold no faith in god.
Their baptism through the fire will keep them loyal to their squad. For those who don’t make it back at all. Their blood lies on the hands of the ones who sent them to crawl.
The sad fact is the thousands of boys who won’t return as men. Because they never survived their baptism through fire to the very end.
A contest entry
- Troops Appreciation Week by theburninglegend.
375 points, ended July 15, 2008, 9 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Lest We Forget by Cupcrazy.
1750 points, ended November 23, 2008, 17 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 7 of 7
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with youth there is always that sense of immortality as if nothing could ever harm them, but unfortunately the truth of war is that there is no immortality, only in the death's that are left to be mourned and remembered. A fine entry, thank you. Hugs, Bunny
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“with youth there is always that sense of immortality as if nothing could ever harm them”
I think it all depends on the youth. Kids who have to dodge bullets just to go to school don’t take it for granted. I guess it all depends on where you come from, who you are, and what you went through to make your way in the world.
“but unfortunately the truth of war is that there is no immortality”
It reminds me of a quote I read That war does not determine who is right, but who is left.
Thanks for reading and leaving me a great comment.
Allawy
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ah yes, but taking life for granted, and feeling it won't happen to you are two very different things. When I was a teen I can remember doing the craziest things, I mean extremely dangerous, and although I knew that I could just as easily die as anyone else, I still had this feeling that it could never happen to me and so threw caution to the wind. Thankfully with age comes wisdom and also a value of life that I think in youth because we don't comprehend endings, have no real appreciation for life. As we age I think and go closer to death is when a true appreciation for life exists. I think for a soldier in the thick of battle that appreciation must hit them like a ton of bricks or the proverbial bullet so to speak.
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“but taking life for granted, and feeling it won't happen to you are two very different things.”
You’re only half right. Because those who take life for granted, and those feeling that death won't happen to them have something in common. Ignorance and arrogance.
“Thankfully with age comes wisdom and also a value of life that I think in youth because we don't comprehend endings, have no real appreciation for life.”
With age comes wisdom and with that older people have much more to lose. If some young people have no comprehension of this and others do then ignorance is ultimately the reason.
“As we age I think and go closer to death is when a true appreciation for life exists. I think for a soldier in the thick of battle that appreciation must hit them like a ton of bricks or the proverbial bullet so to speak.”
Particularly in a war such as this one, fought for more selfish reasons. As the ones fought before. They weigh what has been gained from it and what has been lost.
But in the heat of battle when they see death before them they only see what they will lose. And any arrogance that fills their minds will soon leave them as they shed their first blood. Or as their blood gets shed.
Allawy
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to young to die
to young to die,to young to go.to young to be something they shoudn't have to be.one should never think they are invinsible from death.to many young today think they can do whatever they want,drive fast if they want and death will not get them..cancer will not get them.going to war and being a solider will save them they they will be fine and come home.what an illusion they hold in their heads.being hometowwn hero is great for the solider but that solider has horrors that will nerver end. -
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“to young to die,to young to go.to young to be something they shoudn't have to be.one should never think they are invinsible from death.”
That comes from the false pride instilled to them by their parents and then by the government.
“to many young today think they can do whatever they want,drive fast if they want and death will not get them..cancer will not get them.”
IT is because most young people are not humble enough to be to see though enlightened eyes.
“going to war and being a solider will save them they they will be fine and come home.what an illusion they hold in their heads.”
It’s the wool that has been pulled over their eyes to blind them from the truth. That this is a war that was fought for monetary gain and not to help out other people. The higher ups in the United States Government have tried comparing this war with prior wars such as WW2. And that is the greatest offence I have ever heard. WW2 was a War that needed to be fought and there was no money to be gained from the Holocaust.
Allawy
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excellent
well done and well constructed, good luck in the contest
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