I stand drenched, shivering, holding myself together
At a place that no one back home knows of
Awaiting that day when my duty will bring me honor
The day that never comes...
The day when I show my real mettle
The day when I show my concealed strength
The strength that will bring the enemy down to his knees
I await the day when I transcend my fears & show my valor,
The day that never comes...
You tell me the enemy is dangerous
You tell me it's infallible,
I stand here to give my country a chance
To give you a chance,
However fragile, a chance nonetheless...
I will be there for my country on that day
The day when it'll need me the most
The day I am always prepared for
The day that never comes...
I stand here thoughtless as thoughts bring questions
Questions that are difficult, uncomfortable
What do I do it for - What makes this drudgery worth?
What if the day comes and takes everything with it?
Came here to give my family a better chance at life,
I do what I have to, for that
While I, Await patiently,
The day that never comes...
When the day comes I will fight...
Not for those amorphous lofty ideals of the arm-chair critics
Not for that blinkered patriotism that makes the wisest blind...
BUT FOR MYSELF & THAT WHAT HAS COME TO DEFINE ME...
I'm just a simple man doing a job,
A professional, trained to fight and to stand tall
My job gives me my identity
IT IS THIS IDENTITY THAT I FIGHT FOR
IT'S ALL THERE IS THAT'S WORTH DYING FOR
As I stand here holding my thoughts and gripping my weapon,
I stand firm and am ready to strike hard
For I am what I am ... A SOLDIER OF THE SOARING SIXTEEN.
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| The Soaring Sixteen is an Indian Army Battalion that serves in a border management posture at the India -China LAC in one of the most hostile conditions. The poem attempts to capture the overall feeling of the army men as perceived by me in my attachment with this impressive unit. |
