Metaphysical Transition

I know I should love my brother.
But, they stick me in this
forsaken place and say “kill”.
What do I do with this love?
When the enemy stands before me
with no retribution in his eye,
only a look of bewilderment;
where do I put it for those next 
Few seconds?
With fury of Satan
I enter the relm of self preservation.
Automatically, I move.
Methodically, efficiently, I separate
him from life, limb, family, and future.
Even through my tears 
I can see, the faint smile on dead lips;
and I know this man is not my enemy.
This man is like many others
and somewhere, someone knows that. 
Yet, destiny has placed him in the wrong place, 
at the wrong time---the wrong side of the fence.
I contemplate the mystery of death
as I move methodically through the harshness
of the terrain.
Suddenly I see a bright light
only a millisecond before
I feel myself crashing to the earth.
The man I had just killed
cradled my head to his chest.

I ponder death
as I float twixt worlds --
not afraid
Copyright © | Year Posted 2014

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Gregory Avatar
June 23, 2014 at 5:56 PM
a supreme struggle that is well expressed... the line about the smile on the lip is so heart tugging...
Devonshire Avatar
June 23, 2014 at 2:13 PM
Dear Charles, Your point hits a home run for me. It seems we try to create killing machines as we send our boys off to war. I wouldn't last a second on a battlefield. Don't think I could ever pull that trigger. Wish we'd see more peaceful deliberation and less violent confrontation. (It's good to see you posting again.) Love, Carolyn
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