The silence was overwhelming, 

Engulfing the men on the field, 

Each one hoping and praying, 

"Let mine not be the breath that they hear". 

 

The dawn slowly covered the hills, 

Exposing the men on the ground, 

The first shot shatter'd the air, 

Exploding the earth all around. 

 

The first scream shot to my heart, 

My hand flew up to my chest, 

The pounding of feet on the ground, 

Now was the time of the test. 

 

Men dropped down around me,  

Their falling bodies like claps of thunder, 

The bullets flew and screamed above,

No angel choirs sang music here.  

 

Now I must get to the enemy, 

I must defeat him now, 

I must protect my country, 

And I fired my gun towards the crowd. 

 

I saw my first enemy soldier, 

He'd gotten too close to the line, 

He lay on the ground in a puddle of blood, 

He looked way too young to have died. 

 

I wretched on the grass by his rifle,

The tears had my throat choked at once,

I cried in agony at the sight of this boy,

This tiny boy called my son.

 

I would never hear his laugh again,

I would never hear his steps when he ran,

I would never again see my loving son,

His time was ended before it began.  

 

The sounds of the battle were deadly, 

The agony pounded like drums to my heart, 

I could go on no longer with this battle, 

So I dragged what was left of my son.