To look up and see the wide expanse of sky
Glittering stars, under the watchful moonlight.
And you wonder, when that day comes,
when one third of the stars will shine no more,
and one third of the moon will be as blood,
the Fear that will prevail
with the onset of the darkness plague.
Under the sweltering heat, in sweat-drenched fatigues,
and one wonders, what in blazing hell am I doing here?
But one walks on, to fulfill a minimum of 60km.
Though one definitely exceeds the minimal.
The sound of squitch accompanies me
step by step
the dripping of camo paint mixed with sweat
drop by drop.
Music that soothes and thumps through the forest
Beats that permeates through the mud-streaked boots,
and the thick cotton veil on the feet
- a popular sand fly feast -
and rises to calm the heart
that yearns for home.
The cows carefreely shake their tails from side to side
like a swinging pendulum
as the dogs bark harshly
but run as we advance.
All bark and no bite.
Or perhaps they have a certain fear of the walking green.
Barbed wire that cows squeeze through
upon our arrival
and eager smiles
for rations or food of any kind.
Communal bathing, sweltering heat
and lots of cow shit.
Makes one weary and wise.
As one dreams of the cool mist
of packs of dry ice.
