The Last Ride Poem by C.R. Ebowski

The warning order was read aloud
With soldiers listening intently
Though the information never changed

The insurgent strikes where increasing
So be alert and on guard for the unexpected
And remember to watch your buddies back

The convoy was out the gate by 0600
Lining the roads with olive drab green
Covered in blinding white sand

Miles were traveled through the endless desert
Passing through one ghost town after another
Glimpses of nameless faces covered by black robes

The mangled highway signs alert drivers
Be aware of merging traffic in Baghdad
While orange and white taxis flood the road

Security is the name of the game
Traffic slows to a halt caused by an explosion
Then it happens again in front of you

The flash of bright light is blinding
Ring in the ears causes a sense of emergency
But the disorientation heightens the sense of fear

Thoughts race through the mind but the training prevails
Out of the truck, take cover, assess the situation
Where did the attack come from, who is hurt

The next couple of days are a complete blur
Until the day that you have always dreaded arrives
Saluting the dog tags hanging from the M-16 of your best friend