Why Must I Perish in this Sand?

Now, I lay me down to sleep,

now it's here, my soul to keep.

In desert lands so far from home,

and so far away, for me to roam.

By dark of moon and dawn's pale light,

to fight a war, with all my might,

Why I'm here, only God must know,

at an oasis, where palm trees grow.

I lay in blackness, beneath stars so bright,

my broken body, in the night,

My blood flows down, from terrible wounds,

a river of red in white sand dunes.

My sacrifice, for only I know why,

to save my own, beneath an uncaring sky,

My country men, would do the same,

with no doubts to sway, no one to blame.

My childhood flies before me now,

I see my past in a vision, somehow,

A fleeting time when life was fun,

when I loved to play and in fields to run.

The sky was blue, the trees were green,

my love of all, was then so keen.

My mother's voice, to see her happy boy,

my favorite pup, a Christmas toy.

My old blue jalopy, with its leaking oil,

a job at the store, full of sweat and toil,

My grandmothers biscuits and granddad's song,

all made me feel, I did belong.

With my gal, on our trips, to the fishing hole,

a sunny beach, we used to strole,

A homecoming dance, and times, so fine,

all locked away, held within my mind.

The pain is strong, my side's on fire,

the wounds are deep, my needs, are dire,

In sounds of distant guns and blasts,

I feel the coldness, then breathe, my last.

My body, so limp and with sandy hair,

give my testament to all, as I lay there,

I've made my peace, my prayers were sent,

and a soldier's life. is a time well spent.

Now I rest in a deepest slumber.

all my days, now without number,

Forever to remain in your sweet arms,

Never in fearing and of any harms.

I shall not forsake you, oh, little one,

and shall never to leave you here,

For in all my love, and from heaven, above,

I will always hold you near.

If I should die, before I am to awake,

I pray that the Lord, my soul, to take.

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