Run Like A War Hero - Stephen A. Roberts

The objective is at the end of the road
at the top of a small rise.
His breathing is shallow, an effort
to concentrate on the mission, the
objective.
At the end of the road.

Nearer now and he sees the enemy
he knows they are the enemy, but
there is a nagging question: why
are they the enemy?
How did they become the enemy?

Then they are upon him, their foul
breath in his face, their own visage
twisted into hatred, he cannot
understand how they have
been brought to this
level of inhumanity.

Close quarters now, the enemy
snarls in a guttural tone:
"Going somewhere Grandad?"
Tears spring and he wishes he could
push through, outflank the enemy,
reach the objective, take the hill;

and still

run like a war hero.

Stephen A. Roberts