Floriana Hall's "A Soldier's Dream"
© 2004 Floriana Hall

There's sand in my nostrils and eyes,
There's danger around every bend,
I miss my homeland and family,
When will this hell ever end?

My sleep is almost nil,
I need eyes in back of my head,
The food is not that palatable,
Each dawn it's 24/7 to dread.

How long must I endure this torture
Of body, mind and soul?
What was our country thinking?
Peace should ever be our goal.

A quagmire sinking deeper,
Years of death and destruction,
Like a swamp eating monster,
Let's hurry with reconstruction.

I dream of home and loved ones,
What are they doing now?
I pray for all my regiment
That we'll survive somehow.

Then I awaken and face reality,
This war has taken its toll,
The enemy is still out there,
And we are not in control.

I feel sorry for these ordinary people,
But I must do what I must do,
They are not the terrorists,
Most of them want freedom, too.

Although I'm proud to serve my country,
I don't believe in preemptive aggression, 
I''m a peace loving sort of person,
I can't wait to finish my session.