Marycile Beer Poet Free verse

Ghost Soldier Part 3

Trapped! We're trapped!  Just as I reached the crest I felt Poker fall from under 
me and go head over heels down the other side of the hill. I scrambled to my feet 
and saw Poker with an arrow in his neck, kicking and screaming in terror. I didn’t 
even think about my own safety. All I could see thru misty eyes was Poker. I 
lunged forward toward the frantic animal automatically drawing my hand weapon. 
The terror in his eyes as an Indian sped past him and drove the lance into the 
heaving belly was all I could take. I fired my gun at the fleeing savage and felt 
satisfaction as he fell from his mount. Turning back to Poker I was taking aim to 
end his misery when I felt a sudden stab of pain in my gut. It burned like fire 
and…and suddenly I found myself so weak I couldn’t do more than stagger 
towards Poker. As I fell across my faithful friend I was relieved to see he was 
dead. Dead! I was gasping for breath and crying with grief. I didn’t want to die. 
Not here! Not now! I was now coughing up blood and the sounds of the battle 
around me were fading away …….. and the soft fluffy clouds were drifting across 
the sky………

My tear drops mingled with the rain,
He’ll not be forgotten , ever again.
He and Poker did not die in vein
There, alone on the lonely plain.
He was there, He told me so,
On that cloudy morning a few years ago,
When a shaft of light from the Montana sky
Fell on his grave and caught my eye.

This is true. I did see the grave in a shaft of light on that rainy morning. And 
curiosity got the best of me. I called the Headquarters building at the Monument 
and they told me the grave I described at the bottom of the hill was Custer’s 
brother’s grave.

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