Values

January 7, 2000

The Decision

“Shoot! Shoot! Aim to kill!”

said the Sergeant in battle.

“But Sarge, I can’t take his life!

Think of his kids, think of his wife!”

“You knew when you came what you’d be doing,

so if you wouldn’t kill why join the Army?”

questioned the Sergeant as he grew more angry.

“They told me that it’d be fun,

I’d learn respect and discipline,

they said I wouldn’t have to kill anyone.”

said the boy, feeling confused and alone.

“Son, we fight the battles of war

that is what this Army’s for

you’re here to kill and nothing more”

answered the Sarge, his tone sour.

“I’m sorry but I can’t continue.

I value life more than you.

You do what you need to do.”

and upon the ground his rifle he threw.

The sarge looked at him with sheer surprise

and, snarling now, peered into his eyes.

But there he found pure despise

he froze, oblivious to Soldier’s crys.

In the midst of their fight

between what was wrong and what was right

they thought they were hidden from sight

but the enemy was hiding in the shadows of light.

“Shoot! Shoot! Aim to kill!”

the enemy thought and said aloud “I WILL.”

He aimed the gun and opened fire;

a blackened heart fueled with desire.

Both were hit from the bullets

the Sarge and the boy who wouldn’t do it.

Two different views, two different ways,

dead, together they fell and in mixed blood they lay.