War Promises

War Promises

By Ryan Sundin


The bread was baking, the butter churning
The children playing, a man's heart burning
The drums of war beat in his head
the thoughts of patriots, heroic, yet dead.

The flames from the hearth were dancing like war
He must now uphold the oath that he swore
He loaded his musket, lead balls at the ready
gunpowder stored, hands were unsteady

His thoughts began to wander; Unable to stay clear
He'd not lived a soldiers life, he'd farmed here for years
He'd plowed and he'd raked, he'd seeded and tilled
But nothing prepares a man for blood to be spilled

His country needed him, now more than ever
He's heard from his friends it's a pointless endeavor
How jaded they are, this war affects us all
Each man loses something, however precious or small

The men who wore coats, crimson as of blood
He'd be fighting his kin, his bretheren dead amid the mud
He shook off this doubt that ate at him like a beast
And stood up from his chair, prepared to head east.

He slung his rifle around his back
The strap hanging loosely, in preparation for attack
He walked past his children playing as they should
He held his wife firmly, and said goodbye for good

The tears that she wept, were plainly seen without
But this man's tears were shed inside his soul of doubt.
He asked for her blessing, she gave it without pause
Then promised he would live, not be a nameless loss.

He nodded and sighed, and turned away from his home
His life was a soldiers, his heart was now stone
He walked to the barracks, as he was plainly informed
His rations were given, and a salute was performed

The men near by greeted him with a grin
But no smile was given, the mans face seemed quite grim
He didn't sleep in his tent, with four other men.
And cared not for jests, he was not one of them

Time trickled by with little result
Perhaps soon he would return home, and leave this revolt
The war seemed to have ended, the gunfire was naught
With tears in his eyes, on this evening he thought.

This man trusted his wife's promise, he would survive each new day
But then cannon fire was heard, not too far away
the battalion awoke, orders screamed and uniforms adorned
Trying to bring order to a chaos ridden storm

The musket balls flew, the man readied his gun.
He'd prepared for this moment, and knew what must be done
He took aim at the enemy, ready to kill
He steadied himself, feeling the thrill

His finger pulled back, a loud crack played amongst the sky
Then the man slumped over, with hell raging in his eyes.
His wife had lied. Where was his reprieve?
He'd been hit in the heart, a mortal wound indeed

What promise can be kept in the heat of such war?
This shock and such pain he was not prepared for.
"Goodbye my dear, i will not return home
The children will miss me, and you are alone."