Melanie C. Campos ~ MahTame

‘MY BUDDY’S GONE ON’

Sniper shot rings out in the night
buddy’s been hit and fallen down
excruciating screams out of sight

Hidden in the muddy bug-filled pit
grappling for buddy’s arm to pull
down from war’s bullet ridden shit

Simultaneous sounds from rockets
drowning out death’s gurgling
as my buddy’s body slowly fidgets

Artillery whooshing ringing around
unaware that buddy died next to me
returning fire into the jungle bound

Come morning dawn, a silence fell
saw that my buddy didn’t make it
suppressing ingrained grieving wail

Author’s Note: Dedicated to a Vietnam Native American Warrior