If Ever I Run*

There are moments
The pain may seize you
And fire the heart
As heat evaporates dew.

There are times
Of severe trial
The going all uphill
And every one an arduous mile.

Bow your neck
When the testing comes
Believe in yourself
Against the beating of the drums.

Find a faithful friend
Who has been this way before
Who knows what it’s like to suffer
And what the enemy has in store.

Commit to the fight
Prepare for the day
Of critical struggle
Come what may.

Meet your friend's gaze
Straight in the eye
And give this instruction
When time comes to die:

“Push me on when I falter
Give help, if I fall to my knee
If I stray, give me guidance
But if ever I run...Shoot Me!"

* The message contained in the last stanza is borrowed from the motto of the French Foreign Legion.