The snow set in the barn,
Where the horses once laid
On a cold night, ice spiraled
We tossed,turned, all packed

The troops tamed to acquiesce
Rifles silenced, bullets sacked 
Stocks in deficit, awaiting ambush
Sores overturned and edged in holes

Our nerves dead in the silent night
Risking an aching machine, a body
Pushing to extremities, thrill seeking
My mind numb, body ignited in dumb

Left, right… series audibly recurred
Halting to reflect the extreme valour
A salute to quench and honor a reality
For I once sacrificed my "liberties" for "others"

I could snap you like a twig.
You give me that insolent look and in the instant it took to follow through,
I knew
You care not for size or matter,
Only that the latter
Hardly intimidated someone without the first
And yet, you know, the worst
is that
I could snap you like a twig,
And were I usual, conforming,
Maybe I would, but I would rather
Nurture you like a sprout
Til the twig has no doubt
That mind over matter stands without.