Simple Rules

The corporal sat, eating a can of pears
As a sniper spied him, unawares.
The corporal’s mind drifted from war
Not imaging what may be in store.

The pears were good and very sweet
But in a moment’s time spilled at his feet.
A sniper smiled at his marksman skill.
It presented him a pleasant thrill.

But that sniper, for reasons we cannot know
Stood-up tall in the morning snow.
Across the field of no mans’ land
Another marksman saw him stand.

In a second’s time flew another dispatch
By way of bullet; a deadly match.
The latest sniper exhaled his freezing breath
Spied by yet a third, causing the second one’s death.

Before the third could drop below the fence
He realized he was without defense.
A single-shot rifle is of little use
Once its bullet’s shot, he did deduce.

A fourth soldier continued the bloody chain
Throwing grenades upon the third, like metal rain.
Bloody Bits of the third sniper were everywhere
In the snow, horse corpses, and freezing air.

And so the endless, brutal story unravels.
It’s told in trenches, shell holes; Lordy it travels
From 1915 unto this present day.
War stories just never will go away.

So, keep your head down when eating fruit
Standing tall, be warned, beyond dispute
Is something a soldier must never do
Or he will get a large caliber tattoo.

Never exhaust your breath upward into winter’s day
Or your buddies will carry you away.
Death comes by hand grenades, bullets and artillery
Whether standing, lying, or praying upon bended knee.

War is a tale told by fools
But is complete with some fairly simple rules.
All being equal, I’d rather go fishing
But that, my friend, is useless wishing.