soldier

i was called

from my home to my home

i bid byes not knowing

if they're goodbyes either. 

it was a call for the war,

putting iron helmets on head 

carrying multiple artillery

keeping gunpowder in bags 

driving cannons on roads

commanding cavalry and infantry

promising a peculiar return to all

drawing sketches of history on my face

walking with the troops 

marching with this heavy weight. 

months passed away, 

standing in icy vortex briskly

shooting the opponent 

surviving my own body 

saving our homeland 

seeing blood all around 

shining through the dark 

singing my national muse

scuffling with starvation

skirmishing with this heavy weight. 

then the land won, 

we won, they won too

this battle murdered humanity 

nobody could stand peace 

i returned, they returned

some didn't, but their coffins did

lovers returned, fathers returned

my breaths returned, my light returned

the blooded swords returned

vacant cannons returned 

my senses of sigh returned 

my gratitude of saving purity returned

my novice of poetry returned

my guiltless guns returned 

walking barefoot alone with heavy weight. 

i am a soldier, i returned. 

- chetna 🌻