On Reconnaissance Poem by Gert Strydom

I listen to and watch a young man
on a scouting reconnaissance mission
on the frontline in the Ukraine,
where they are only two soldiers
and he is so happy to be alive.

Around him he notices every little thing:
a buzzing passing bee that lands on a flower,
the hot sun that shines on his face
through the shade and covering branches
where he hides and observes Russians in the tree-line.

I can hear passing shells being fired,
it's clear he is very near to enemy artillery,
to enemy Stalin-organ rocket launchers
where he observes with another soldier,
to pinpoint a enemy position,
to bring down destructive return fire.

He smiles: 'life is amazing,
it's great to be alive.'

He is much more serious
when a shell whistle pass much closer:

'not to go mad, in these moments,
not to become too scared to act
is the thing because it's beyond scary.'

'I look around me at nature:
at that fluttering butterfly on its fragile wings,
right there is another bumblebee.'

'The wind touches my face.
I remind myself why I am here scouting,
what I am fighting for:
to stop this evil,
that they do not proceed,
to protect our people and our land.'

He smiles again. This conversation is so personal,
as if we are best friends.

I have been in a similar situation before,
have scouted deep in enemy territory,
while dogs, children and soldiers were very close,
where any little thing can give a person away.

'In a moment as this every thing is easy,
when you know for what you are fighting,
where almost any mission is possible
and this is not romantic,
it's terrifying and deadly.
Reality is far from things in movies and books.
I lie here very close to enemy artillery,
if I survive this I will be so lucky.'

It's hot and I notice some sweat on his face,
the rocket-barrage sounds as if nothing can survive.

'The Russians do get really angry
when the return-fire hits them
and they realize that they are under surveillance.'

He looks so young, is probably eighteen,
as I had been when I was called
into the military to go to war.

'We have destroyed many Orc's and their vehicles
three days ago and they get mad,
far past just angry.'

He is now very serious, stops talking,
watches the signs that the other soldier gestures,
are on the alert as if a fire-fight
could brake out at any moment.

'We have to be careful that they think that a drone
have spotted them that they did not notice,
that they just keep attacking us with artillery.
As you can see we are so close
but their fire has no effect on us.
I listen carefully,
as they can attack with infantry at any moment,
while we are only two here on the front-line.'

He smiles again and then looks as if
he can see me: 'life is amazing,
it's amazing to be alive.'

I do not know if again I will see another video of him.
He is dressed in a camouflage uniform,
has skeleton-webbing and a helmet.
He smiles again as he says: 'it is true.'
[Poet's note" Orc is a term used by the people of the Ukraine when they talk about the Russian soldiers to indicate that they do act sub-human and monstrous without conscience.]