In the dead of night, I questioned the skies,
The desert whispered with elusive guise.
The wind carried echoes of tales untold,
As unseen dangers lurked in the cold.

Stars above twinkled, a celestial choir,
Their ancient light sparking a deep, yearning fire.
The moon, obscured, was nowhere to be seen,
Yet cast shadows, eerie and green.

As I stood guard amidst the desert's dread,
Haunted by the words that the desert said,
The rumble of artillery, a ghostly sound,
Echoed through the night, unsettling and profound.

Uncertainty lay heavy on my chest,
As I faced the unknown, longing for rest,
Knowing I must endure just one more test,
Cold metal in my hands, whispered its own unrest.

Many years have slipped away,
Yet still I'm left to ponder and sway,
Uncertain if what I sought was found,
At the expense of the boy, lost then drowned.

Amidst the darkness and the fight's sudden hush,
The absence of our brother, a palpable and heavy crush,
The grief, a burden to bear,
In the stillness of that night, an unspoken prayer
At the heart regret did tear.

The lights pierce through the fog, my thoughts now clear,
As I sow seeds of lead, releasing doubt and fear.
But deep within, an ember brightly burns,
A hunger for truth, a heart that yearns.

Though the years have come and gone,
I seek the peace I've longed upon,
To find the solace, to calm the tide,
And let the boy lost inside me bide.

A journey through the dark and light,
To make amends and set things right.