The bedraggled child

Wails from deep within

I yelled for her to stay down

But she didn’t listen

 

She ran towards me

Bullets flying around

The one that hit her

Didn’t make a sound

 

Into my arms she fell

Like a twisting knife

Painting my shirt red

With her escaping life

 

I grasp her gently

Close to my chest

Her eyes become duller

Her heartbeat comes to rest

 

I cry while rocking her

Over the sheer insanity

I cry for both of us

For our lost humanity

 

It seemed so

Cut and dried

I would go fight

For those who died

 

Expressing my patriotism

Was normal behavior

I would hunt down terrorist

To make the world safer

 

Now that I’m here

Nothing is the same

These innocent dying

Aren’t the ones to blame

 

Red misty bubbles

Small listless eyes

She’s all I’m aware of

As my heart and soul cries

 

I prayed that God

Would make an exception

I would trade my life

Without question

 

Prying her small body

From my grasp

It dawned on me

Finally at last

 

It was not to be

Tiny child maybe four

Just an innocent victim

But nothing more

 

Authors Note:While watching the news I saw a very young American soldier crying over a small dead child in his arms that was killed in the crossfire. I tried to convey some of the realities of what both of these children were experiencing.