Drafted into reality
Slated for death
Destined to survive-
Conquer death
Left to face a new reality

After all those terrible memories of
Millions of droplets of dark. red spilled blood cells
Pouring out of my comrades bodies
Feeling the cold limp lifeless
Bodies of friends who used to be there
Before they were gone
Before they went
Six
    Feet
          Under

All those memories
From years of battle
Will haunt me forever
Always be giving me nightmares

Swore to myself I’d never
Revisit the Field of Haunted Dreams and
Lost Memories

I’ll make it to the memorial
Pay my respects
To all those comrades
Who gave up everything
To protect the freedoms
Of our country
All those dear friends who
Deserve to be here more than me

Years have gone by
Time has matured me
Finally made my way
To the memorial

Names of my friends
Flashed through my periphery
As I was scanning that black, granite stone
To see how to personally
Commemorate all the people
Who helped save me


Through the corner of my eye I saw
Written there
Right in front of me
On that black stone wall
Was Me

I had to look back
Make sure it was true
Seeing my name made me
Think about who I was then and
Who I turned out to be
Made me wonder
How things would have been different if
They had called someone else to duty
Instead of me

Would my life have been different
If I finished my education?
Got a real job?
Found a wife,
Made a family
All on my own terms?

Did war make me better or
Would I have been this great on my own?
I was ****** into battle
Forced to grow up
Experienced **** no man should ever have to see
I can’t stop wondering about how
Things could’ve, would’ve, or should’ve been

Will I spend the rest of my life
Asking myself the question of
What if?

Will I ever move on
From my past-
That day my life ended
When I was called to duty
During that draft
Thinking why me?
This shoulda been somebody else