Submitted by: Jon Nelson

Category: Poetry

Heart Of A Soldier
By: Jon M. Nelson

As the sun burns down it bakes my skin,
I can feel my patience beginning to wear thin.
Walking endless miles in this scorching heat,
And I can feel the sand burning my feet.

On my back I carry this unbearable load,
As I walk along this seemingly endless road.
The weight is so much that I can barely stand,
To get up off my knee I need a helping hand.

It seems like we have been walking for days,
With hardly any sleep it all seems like a haze.
The exhaustion is beginning to take its toll,
I’ll never get back all the time that they stole.

Around every corner I’m reminded of home,
Yet I have no choice but to continue to roam.
Oh how I miss all the ones that I left behind,
And sometimes I wish I could just hit rewind.

Then I realize that they’re the reason I’m here,
Even through all of my pain and fear.
I had to come over here and leave them back,
So they wouldn’t worry about another attack.

Even with the bullets and bombs trying to kill,
I have to move on by searching for my inner will.
I’ve seen many die and suffer before my eyes,
And I’ve faced my horrors as I heard their cries.

I do what I do for my friends and my family,
And to help keep this nation of ours free.
And for those who will criticize and condemn,
A soldier will even serve honorably for them.

Through all the pain and torture I will carry on,
For without me, our freedoms would be gone.
And whenever I feel I cannot go on any more,
I always remember exactly what I’m fighting for.

I am one of the defenders of this great nation,
And I will always do my job without hesitation.
The heart of a soldier can never be broken,
As his actions speak over the soft voice spoken.

Copyright © 2011 Jon M. Nelson

About the author:

I am an active duty soldier with over 16 years time in so far. In addition to being a soldier I am an award winning and published poet, currently working on my second book. I write poetry on many different subjects from love to the kindness of humanity, but my most popular poems and my favorite to write are about military, veterans, and their families.