Gentle tales

The weary Gunner
Sergeant said come
walk with me,
there is no need
you older soldiers
crawl through scrubby
undergrowth. We
were easily lead;
and while we walked
he told us gentle tales
about his kids instead of
gory soldier stories.

He asked me where
I’d want to be
in twenty years. I
was gamely stuck in
simple thought, didn’t
need to think about
it over much.
I replied, Sir, I rather
hope that I’m not
dead, but telling
soldiers what
you’ve said.
© I.D. Carswell