True Intent

A friend from the Danish Royal Navy often posts pictures of the war in Afghanistan. Some of them so haunt me I cannot always sleep. I wrote the following poem after viewing the picture added here.

True Intent

The picture finds them crouched in the dirt of foreign soil,

Many a mile they have walked in the heat, and still on they have toiled.

An enemy dark and sinister, with evil intent they do hunt,

And then with deadly force they valiantly confront.

Fierce and foreboding in their equipment and gear,

Lethal to the threat of the enemy, they instill a chilling fear.

The civilians who watch have little reference to these Soldier’s intent,

Only having known the tyrant’s agenda to give them hint.

For wives and mothers, sisters and brothers, they have left home,

The mountains of this foreign country to roam,

In search of a threat which leaves the freedom of the whole world at stake.

Their duty and mission they will never forsake

But now they provide protection for someone inside their human wall.

In the tracking of the enemy, they witness an innocent victim fall.

The wicked explosive device of the cruel terrorist’s hand,

Brings out the true heart and purpose of this warrior band.

Not only do they stand for those they left behind,
Their lives they risk yet again for the good of all mankind

This stranger, of another nation, lies wounded and exposed,
 Testimony is given by their huddled bodies that they are true heroes.

God keeps account of how each individual’s life is spent.
 And at the end will reveal each person's heart and true intent.

He has foreshadowed his words concerning these, the valiant,

When He said, “Well done thou good and faithful servant.”