Dedicated to our troops in Iraq.....

~*~Last Night in Mordor~*~

We are nearly there....
A star peeps down upon us
almost as if to check
if we be all right
like a mother looking in
on her sleeping babes.
But does she tell us now
that this night is to be
our last upon this earth?
I cannot think on it!
But here, master dear,
sleep now in my arms
you are cold, sick, weary, sad
you should rest and recover
but there's neither time
nor place for it.
Your eyes that once held
joy and teasing lights
are all glazed and shuttered,
their candles dowsed.
I cannot see you there
behind the shattered panes
only grey webbing
and dusty beams.
Your door is locked.
But I will try my best
to keep the horrid shapes
away from your dreams
just for tonight. Dream instead
of a land that never knew
the stink of ash,
the savor of venom
the burn of betrayal
the black wings of war.
Think of your feet fondled
by waters cool and quick
dancing on a clovered stair
pillowed on ferns and silver reeds.
Fruit trees bow on every slope
begging for relief of their loads
apples that fit
the curve of your palm
as though you had molded them
to suit your fancy.
The sun seeks out
your juice-stained face
through every branch
to give back the light
you left behind
somewhere along the way. 
Will that land be ours,
or is this all there is?
I cannot think on it!

But if this small life
is all there is for us
we will at least be able
to say we lived it well
and planted seeds of healing
for the punished soil
we sleep beneath.  White flowers
will wave above our bones
like little flags that say,
"We guard our heroes here!"
I can say I knew you,
that you were dearer far
than all others--save one,
and perhaps no less dear, at that. 
We were born that those
who come after never know
the path that we now tread
the stones that bite our feet
the thirst that dries our souls
we've done it all for them.
Others have done as much,
why can't we?  Two soldiers
we'll be, giving our all
for those we love
and those they will love.
Our praises they'll sing
our stories they'll savor
and if there is indeed
a reward for all of this
(as I think there really is)
we'll never part again.
It's all I could wish....
and yet...
I would
that it didn't have to be
Not this soon,
anyway...............