"THE SOLDIER"

STANDING IN FRONT OF HIS MAKESHIFT TENT, THE YOUNG SOLDIER LIFTED HIS PACK---VOWING TO FULLFILL HIS DUTY AS A SOLDIER IN THIS BITTER WAR IN IRAQ---28 MONTHS IN THE HEAT, THE RAIN, THE BLOWING SNOW AND THE COLD---WONDERING ALWAYS, NOT KNOWING FOR SURE, IF THIS WOULD BE HIS LAST PATROL---FOLLOWING A PATH WITH EYES WIDE OPEN, HIS GUNS WERE FULLY LOADED---SUDDENLY A FEW FEET IN FRONT OF HIM, A ROADSIDE BOMB EXPLODED---THE SMOKE FROM THE BOMB ROSE HIGH IN THE SKY AND WHEN IT FINALLY CLEARED---OTHERS SAW HIM LYING IN THE ROAD, AND THE WORST THEY ALL FEARED---RUSHING QUICKLY TO HIS SIDE, THEY GENTLY LIFTED HIS HEAD---THERE WAS NO DOUBT IN EVERYONE'S MIND, THIS YOUNG SOLDIER WAS DEAD---AND AS HIS SOUL WAS LIFTED TOWARD HEAVEN, IN SEARCH OF THAT BEAUTIFUL GATE---WHERE GOD SIT UPON HIS THRONE TO DETERMIUNE EACH ONE'S FATE---AND THERE HE FOUND THOSE PEARLY GATES AND TOOK HIS PLACE IN LINE---GOD SAID, "I SEE THAT IN MY BOOK, YOU WERE A CHILD OF MINE"---"SO ENTER THESE GATES AND WALK MY STREETS MADE OF SHINNING GOLD---WHERE YOU WILL LIVE FOR ETERNITY AND NEVER EVER GROW OLD---FOR YOU HAVE SERVED YOUR COUNTRY AND YOU HAVE SERVED IT WELL---IN HEAVEN YOU WILL LIVE WITH ME, YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN THROUGH HELL-----:This is TWO TEXAS PAWPAW, signing off.