like a knight in shining armour

standing so proud

all dressed in green and camouflage

crawling in the dirt, shuffling in the forest.

only seeing a photo of his loved one and newborn baby

wishing he could hold them close and feel her lips

touch their skin, smell their scent,

instead he touches the metal of a gun, feels the roughness of the ground, smells the scent of death

but still standing so proud

He hasn’t slept in days, but he doesn’t complain

He closes his eyes and sees his loved ones, knowing in years to come he will close his eyes and instead of heaven he will see hell.

His mother weeps at the sight a photo of her proud son in his uniform, sitting on the mental piece, his father sadly bows his head, “come home safe my son, come home safe” he whispers every time he walks past the picture.

Read more from this author

• Just Like a Knight in Shining Armour
• Toxic Ways
• My Heart, my Soul, my Love