The Sacrifice

A poem in honor of those who fight for our freedom.

He stood alone, on the desert sands
His rifle held ready, in his hands
Suddenly he falls to his knees
To give his soul much needed ease
To the Lord, he fervently prays
Please end this suffering, of many days
I cannot stand here anymore
On this lonely, foreign shore
It is my family that I miss
My sweet wife, I long to kiss
But the Lord answers no
You are where I said to go
Your job here is not done
This long battle, has not been won
Trust in me and victory is yours
On these lonely, foreign shores
He dusts his uniform as he stands
Cleans his rifle of alien sands
To his fate, he is resigned
Though he longs for those he’s left behind
This man whose face you cannot see
Is fighting a war for you and me
A war for peace, and freedom too
He’s risking his life for me and you
Your thanks is not what he needs
For his selfless, heroic deeds
Just keep him in your prayers each night
That he’ll have strength to continue the fight
He stands alone, on desert sands
His rifle held ready, in his hands
Do you appreciate his sacrifice,
His health, his happiness, even his life?