WAR Poem: Ordinary Soldier, by Matthew Stiefel

When they’re all screaming my name—
Giving me praise, calling me a hero,
All it does is drive me insane.

My comrades died on the battlefield,
And only I remain.

That horrific, unforgettable day—
I still hear the screams we made
As the enemy opened fire,
Ripping apart men,
Crying and dying.

We returned fire in the bullet exchange,
And in less than an hour,
Three hundred enemies laid …
So did nineteen of my buddies,
Who joined them in the grave.

And now—
My life will never be the same.