Kai Michael Neumann Poet Free verse

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

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

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