He loved life was on his epitaph
Generous and giving to all
That he is dead is not in dispute
The truth of the epitaph his victims refute

He may have loved his woman and kin
No doubt he wished to see them again
Yet he was sent to another place
To kill members of his own race

Did he ever ask whose home he was in
Was he polite though they were not kin
Did he knock before or just barge in

Did he look them in the eye before the deed was done
Or treat them as so much dung
Did he see his humanity in their eyes
Or see them simply as swatted flies

His thoughts we will never know
His face we no longer see
For someone just like him sent his life to another place
To join the deceased of the human race

3/19/2008

Claude H Oliver II

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-soldier-s-dilemma/