The Soldier’s Fate Poem by Hannington Mumo

It was a special day and he’d hardly said his vows
When some gory militants struck in the northern part,
The groom’s suit he replaced with the soldier’s uniform
And the merry radiance faded to reflect his troubled heart.

As the journey north spiraled into the prickly thickets
He still heard the cheery songs cut short by the duty’s call,
The charm of his newly-wed’s kiss hung on his drying lips
And still could hear the echoing claps of those in the hall.

“The soldier’s portion is as bitter as gall…”
He thought as the precarious road got rougher.
The soldier must pay for the civilians’ peace,
By being self-denying, and sacrificially tougher.

And so our soldier and his mates were ambushed
By the enemy fire that caught them by surprise.
The newly-wed wife anxiously awaited the news
Of the operation that led to her hubby’s demise.

This unfortunate guy’s fate is what a soldier daily faces
Simply to guarantee the civilian the happiness he chases.