We slept with our boots on...

They unloaded the dead and maimed right before our eyes

They washed out the blood, we loaded our ruck’s and then took to the skies

Over the mountains, village and valleys we flew

Where we would land we had not a clue

Bullets are flying, the LZ is hot

We’re leaving this bird whether we like it or not
30 seconds they yelled, Lock N Load and grab your shit
Get ready to go and make it quick
My heart is pumping adrenalin through all of my veins
I run as fast as I can through the lead rain
The noise is tremendous, terror I can’t define
The only reason I survived that day was divine
I kept pulling the trigger and reloading and pulling some more
You do what you have to do, with that I will say no more
We fought from the valleys to the mountain peaks
From house to cave, to car to creek
Dirty and tired and hungry and scared
We slept with our boots on so we were always prepared
Those majestic mountains so steep, so high they kiss the skies
The Hindu Kush has changed so many lives
Up the mountains with heavy loads we trod
Who knew hell was so close to God
Beauty and terror are a strong mixed drink
So we drank it like drunkards and tried not to think
Good men and bad men, Mothers lost son’s
Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns
Washed in the blood, and baptized by fire
I will never forget those who were called higher
They say blood is thicker than water, well lead is thicker than blood
Brothers aren’t born they’re earned. In the poppy fields, the tears, and the mud
And when I get to heaven to Saint Peter I will tell
Another Paratrooper reporting for duty sir, I spent my time in hell

Steve Carlsen

"War is a delight only to those who have not experienced it", this poem supports this quote by telling the facts and reality of warfare through his own experience in Afghanistan. When we realize that war is not as it was meant to be, it would be too late for like the poet said, "Everyone loses their innocence when they carry guns".

Steve Carlsen, the poet, was a United States Soldier, joining the UN Army in October 2000 and went to Infantry Basic training, Airborne School in FT.Benning, later reporting to his first squad, D Company 1st battalion 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division in Caroline. He was deployed to Kosovo in November 2001, later deployed in the front lines in Afghanistan, December 2002. Later, honorably discharged in 2003. He has written 4++ poems, such as Thunder in the Valley, Death of a Hero and Take Your Pills.

He takes us into his world where life is harder than stone and reveals the horrific conditions in the fronts of war. A soldier at the fronts. He fights but for what? There is a sense of lost of purpose as the poet has forgotten why he stands and fights in this war.

He brings us through his experience and memories of the fighting in Afganistan in the past. He stood to show us that war is not a thing of comfort and glory like the "old lie" preceived it to be.The soldier fights all over Afganistan's country side. He stands for life as he and his 'brothers' fight in the foreign land, fighting all the way from the valleys to mountains, houses to creeks...

He is toused between the horror before his eyes but also the glory and beauty of the scene bestowed before his eyes. He and his comrades just keep taking in the great contrast like drunkards. The man stands to realise that founded brotherhood is much more worth than birthright brotherhood. He stands to say to St. Peter that he live hell on earth shown from his metaphor of earth as Hell.

Source:

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/2010warpoetry.html

http://thejourneytoernie.blogspot.com/2010/05/home-learning-we-slept-with-our-boots.html