Life chess

It was like yesterday
that I saw two soldiers
play a game of chess,
both were just pawns
in the hands of an evil being.

They fell from the board
and were placed horizontal
right next to it,
as if their existence
didn’t really matter.

Their lives were wasted
and somewhere back in the states
their status changed to the departed,
before the game of war
had really started.

It was like yesterday
that I saw two soldiers die,
shot out of their vehicle
by a rocket propelled grenade
and splattered, scorched and burnt.

Without choice I was part of the game
and just the Lord knows
from where true courage came
and at times I and my brothers
fought the fight
to the best of our ability.

Today peace reigns
and the game is over and done
and all my brothers have gone,
but at times it all again
becomes real to me
and forever I am at war
with the demons in my soul.

[Reference: Brothers => Brothers in arms. States=> Back home in the RSA.]

poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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