by Oceana Setaysha

Created on: March 04, 2007   Last Updated: May 14, 2007

Scars

He sits alone in the corner, a warrior in his day
In the battlefields of old, he was the one you would obey
Now he isn't much to look at, a scarred and broken shell
A mutilated figure, like a man straight out of hell
It seems like he's a shadow, a ghost more than a man
As no one has approached him since the carnival began
There are soldiers all around him, all are bound for war

Most of them will die there, in blood and guts and gore
The generals make their speeches, people clap and cheer
"These men will serve their country and be back within a year"
And everyone believes them, it's what they're taught to do
Why can't these people realise that this is all untrue?

As he contemplates the irony of these plain and simple lies
A young soldier approaches him, which comes as a surprise
He would be about twenty, he's tall and fit and proud
He looks like all the other men who stand here in the crowd
He sits next to the veteran and stares into the pack
Watching all the brave young souls who probably won't come back
Without looking at the veteran, the man begins to speak
The veteran listens to him, for what he says is quite unique
"Did they do this back in your day? Before you went to fight?
Did they celebrate your courage well into the night?
Did you look around you and feel so strong and brave?
Did you think about the country you were going off to save?"

The veteran slowly turns to him; he knows what must be said
"Do you realise in a year most of these people will be dead?"
The man stares shocked at the veteran; this is not what he expected
Yet the veteran stares right back at him, seemingly unaffected
"You're a soldier! You've fought before! How can you say things like that?"
"I say these things because I've been there! You've never seen combat!
You think because you trained so long and given all you've got
That you'll win all your battles and hit with every shot!"
I'll tell you war is nothing like the scene the generals paint for you!
It's brutal and barbaric! Not even luck will pull you through!
No matter were you go you'll see dead men, you're friends will fall as well!
In fifteen years you'll be just like me, and then you'll have your stories to tell!"

"So if all those years ago, you had this in your mind
Why did you go out there if not to save mankind?"
The veteran almost chuckles and feels the need to remark
"My god boy you sound just like me before I went to embark!"
The atmosphere is settled, and the tension slowly goes
Soldier and veteran relax as they are no longer foes
"I saw you sitting over

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