Killer on the road

What good and bad we do in a life. The scars will always stay with us.

Killer on the road


A Iraqi man sipping  his coffee.
He watches the military trucks drive by.

He look to the sky and murmur a pray.
I will miss you my wife, my children.
He caresses his chest. 
He feel the bomb wrapped tightly against his body.

His eyes are sad and he knows he has no choice.
They killed his brothers.
They came to his country and torn it down to rubble.

He believed in a eye for a eye. 
He will be in paradise soon.
Tears fall from his eyes as he think of his wife sleeping alone.

Soldier with M-16 loaded and ready.
He tells his buddy going to be a good night.
Going to kill a few of them damn  terrorist.


His buddy with a bible in his hand.
Pray to survive the night without firing his guns.
He whisper  I pray I make it through the night.
Please lord keep me safe and let me go home soon.


The city is quiet and the soldier are on alert.
The gunner pass the coffee to his friends.
Tells him my eyes are seeing ghosts again.

 
He watches the morning light began to appear.
He thinks of a mother and father waiting and hoping to see him.
He makes a mental note to call them tomorrow.


A middle age Iraqi man walked down the street in the early morning.
His hands are sweating.
He see two soldiers guarding a government building.

The gunner asks his buddy was the man a ghost in the distance?
He put the bible down and tells him he is real.

The soldier looked at his bible.
Points his weapon at the man.
He raise his hand to halt the Iraqi Man.

The Iraqi man screams out his daughter name and Allah.
Runs toward the soldier.

The soldier aim his M-16 and shoot three rounds into the man chest.

The Iraqi man falls dead.
The soldier goes to him.
Fall and ask god to forgive him.

He open up and see the bomb and photos.
It still don't bring comfort to the soldier.

The soldier sit on his cot.
He hold pictures of a man's wife  with two children.
He wonder why he has to kill this man?

He should of been home tossing a football with his brother or something. 

He cries for the Iraqi he killed.
Old Sargent said he was a hero.
Those terrorist are just killers on the road.
Waiting for us to end their misery.
He bring his bible to his heart and tries to sleep.

The gunner wake him up.
He tells him we are on again tonight.


He puts the bible on the table.
Dresses  into battle gear and walk out of his tent.
He leave the bible tonight on the table.

He had bad dreams.
He dreams he was the killer on the road.

He would do his duty and go home.
He don't talk of God or Jesus anymore.
He just wishes for the blood to leave his hands.

The gunner smile.
He yelled maybe we can kill a few tonight.
His buddy smile and stare at the road.

                      Coyote

                                 

Author's Note

War leave no winner. Vietnam and Korea left scar for a generation of young men and woman. These Wars of today will be the scars for the next 60 years or more.

Reviews

[Angel's Lady]

Your war stories are so poignant to me...my friend over there, I wonder, how many men has he killed? Will those scars affect him when he's home with his wife and kids? I know they will, but will he realize it, or pass on the violence to those he loves....Great write, my friend.

[MetBySunlight]

I really like this. It speaks of truth and nothing less.

[joshua deathdealer]

This is outstanding. I like how you show all different sides...the gun-ho and the troubled soldier..the Iraqi man, devastated at the loss of his family and way of life seeking revenge. Top rated write. Excellent work.

[Von Alis]

Beautiful, the words are so true, war leaves no winners. I love the entire poem, it tells each side so perfectly. Thank you for every word of this!

[Kaylor Mason]

I read this one all the way through and couldn't really think of anything to say--when it comes to our soldiers and wars and all, I have to be very careful about what I say, because I've never served in the Armed Forces, and therefore have no true right to realy speak out about such matters. I can talk about my created characters and their imaginary worlds all I want, but men like me are merely professional dreamers; when Real Soldiers talk, about the Real Wars here on earth--then it's time for me to keep my mouth shut, if ya see what I mean. [I'm not sure there's anything more disrespectful to a soldier than for him to listen to a civilian like myself talking about "what it's like" in war.]
Well anyway, I read this and, like many powerful poems, it moved me into a respectful silence. That's about the only way I can review this excellent poem--to me, Silence is the loudest voice.

[hmarieee]

i love all your war poems. it lets me know there are amazing people out there fighting for us. thank you for serving also.

[Sakib]

It's so sad. A great narrative poem. Iraq, Afghanistan now Libya they all are victim of war. It's a menace. It's need to be solved. Peace is what we all want. There are lots of other ways to solve problems. War is not only solution. A great piece. I love it.

[Judy Ponceby]

Coyote, you have amazing talent in your story telling to bring to life many of the harsh realities we don't want to face, but must if we are to understand and care for those who fight the fight for us. You are a master of your craft. Peace be with you and yours.

[Jvl narasimharao]

You are great pacifist.You hate wars from the core of your heart.My best wishes for you