I've Seen Soldiers Cry

     I’ve seen Soldiers who have been shot, blown up and burned

Refuse to be treated until their buddies were seen to first.

     I’ve seen Soldiers punctured, tired, hungry, spent

Smile at the sight of a pretty nurse offering a cup of water.

  

     I’ve seen Soldiers roll up their dirty blood soaked sleeves

To give blood to slowly slipping away insurgents who shot at them hours before.

     I’ve seen Soldiers with fragmentation ball bearings protruding from their skin

Rotate in to give heart compressions to a fallen brother, and never miss a beat.

    

     I’ve seen half starved, beaten down, sleep deprived, over-burdened Soldiers

Come alive and sprint to vehicles to respond to a call for the fiercest of fights.

     I’ve seen Soldiers scream warning to an entire country that hell was coming

And am convinced that if only one went,

      They would have won convincingly against any odds.

     I have seen Soldiers who could not break, would not fall,

Who did not know or even begin to think of staying down.

     I have seen Soldiers in a way the world has never seen them.

I have seen Soldiers cry.

     Not because of the enemy, but for them.

Not because of their wounds, but because of the wounds of their fellow Soldiers.

     Not because of their pain, but because of the pain to their children and spouses back home

For having to face birthdays, anniversaries and even deaths without them.

     I have heard mortars explode to the sounds of Soldiers laughter.

But I have heard tears that shattered my heart far worse

     Fall from the eyes of Soldiers.

Because they don’t fall for themselves

     So mine must fall for them.