A child stood proudly on the stage
Beneath the summer sun
The boy had finally come of age
His childhood was done
He held the future near his heart
With one goal in his mind
And with that goal, he’d play a part
In bettering mankind.

He’d heard the stories in his youth
Of how battles were waged
In the pursuit of peace and truth
When world corruption raged
He knew that heroes lived and died
He understood the price
And with that knowledge, at his side
The boy did not think twice.

His family kept him secure
Throughout his younger years
He knew the pain one could endure
The hardships and the tears
When he looked back upon the past
Each memory at his door
Had proved calm days were meant to last
Whate’er life held in store.

The boy enlisted, after dawn
He did not bat an eye
He greeted the flag o’er his lawn
As his parents stood by
Then, the boy who, not long before
Became a man and smiled
Flew overseas to fight a war
With the heart of a child. 

I will never forget the day
When I received the word
The child I knew had passed away –
I asked what had occurred
From what his comrades had surmised
My friend had saved another
And, I am not one bit surprised
He chose to spare a brother.

He always went into harm’s way
Uncertain what he’d find
To be sure things appeared okay
For his friends, left behind
In life, he was a tender soul
Who gave more than he sought
His selfless nature made him whole
And this was how he fought.

A child stood proudly on the stage
Beneath the summer sun
And eulogized the boy of age
Whose life had just begun
The boy had saved another man
His doubts had equaled zero –
A soldier following God’s plan
He left this world, a hero.

© 2007 – Jill Eisnaugle’s Poetry Collection