Ultimate Token of Grief
He felt he owed it to the leader and fatherland the country
of ancestry and birth and joined the conquest in cold blood
convinced that a chill in his bones was better than defeat
a young universal soldier of courage and deceitful promises
Honour glory and battle screams lured him into the war
of all wars for freedom justice and a badge on his chest
With stealthy resolve and his trigger finger happy to kill
he marched crawled and cowered in bottomless trenches
fierce brave proud and ready to give his boyish conviction
cannon fodder no doubt but he never hesitated for the cause
believed to be on the right side of endless history and death
Invincible he had no conscience other than contempt for
the weak and unworthy who stood in the way of his rifle
They gave him the Iron Cross First Class for surviving
enemy fire so violent that most of his comrades vanished
with a last prayer and thoughts of their loved ones at home
Ultimately his battalion was mangled and the medal crushed
by tank chains when the rusty pin pierced deep into his thorax
Missing in action presumed killed he was reduced to a letter
widow notified that he received a distinguished service award
but the terminal token staid buried close to his shattered heart
23rd March 2021
Copyright © Kai Michael Neumann | Year Posted 2021
Post Comments
Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.
Please
Login
to post a comment