Dear Soldier

Your restlessness has not gone unnoticed.
Your heavy heart can be heard through the thin walls;
it clangs like tins being dragged behind, tied mercilessly
to lame footed, wearisome prey. Near surrender.
Your pacing has marked the floorboards.
Worn bare the carpet, exposing the pattern
of your minds repetitive rhyme.
Slowing down your own time.

Put your guns down.
Come away from the windows.
Hold out your hands.
Speak of your plans.
and remember, who you are.
You are not lost in a place unknown.
You’re not alone on a road overthrown.
Keep the armour if you wish, but hold my hand as we go.

Grief and sadness, rage and untamed fear
punctured your hope and stabbed at the efforts
you valiantly made to stand. And again. And again. And again.
Pain. More pain. Reminders. Face in the dirt. More pain. And again. Shame, again.
Bleeding blackness, hatred and a numbness that keeps your knees from caving.
So you pace. You check the windows. You plan. You scan.
You count the bullets, and your heart hurts.
All the time.

Put your guns down.
Come away from the windows.
Hold out your hands.
Speak of your plans.
and remember, who you are.
You are not lost in a place unknown.
You’re not alone on a road overthrown.
Keep the armour if you wish, but hold my hand as we go.

I won’t let go. You can pull and you can test.
You can pierce my soul with a million sorrows, but I
will always, always try my best. I will not rest.
Until you do.
Come away from the windows.
Keep the armour on if you wish.
Hold my hand, please.
At ease.

Soldier.