Afghanistan Selected by

Tyler Dawson

Table of contentsPage 3- Introduction

Page 4- why do we fight by Tyler Dawson

Page 5- My country by Tyler Dawson

Page 6- IED by Tyler Dawson

Page 7- how to survive Afghanistan by Tyler Dawson

Page 8- AFGAHNISTAN by Tyler Dawson

Page 9- A soldier's lost love by Chris, a soldier serving

in Afghanistan

Page 10- I live on By Joanna "Joey" Carman

Page 11- War in Afghanistan by Moeze Lalji

Page 12- Repatriation by Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane

Page 13- Helmand by John Hawkhead

Page 14- Marching Men by Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane

Page 15- Reality in Afghanistan by Phil Williams

Page 16- Sunset Vigil by Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane

Page 17- citations

When you read the following poems I want you to imagine the poems word for word because this is a very close topic for me. It was very hard for me to express my feelings on the topic and once I started it was hard to stop. These poems took a very long time to construct but they are here before you completed. Whilst reading you can expect to see death, despair, depression, destruction, and desolation. The point of all these poems was not to depress but to educate people on the truth of what happens in Afghanistan.

Why do we fight this pointless war?When it only ends in death and despairFor the families left behind to watch and waitFor their loved ones to come homeDo you know what it’s likeTo watch the plane take offWith your loved one insideFlying away to a certain death?Do you know the horrorOf hearing on the radioThat another Solider has died And just hoping it’s not them?Have you ever experienced The horror that they faceAs the bombs dropAs the bullets flyAs their friends dieAs they see the destructionAs they see the despairAs they hear the IED’s blowSending pieces of their friends in the airCan you even imagine that?Do you even want to?And even when they come backThey’re never the sameAlways down, sad and depressedSome come backWithout a legWithout an arm

Some come back Completely fineUntil you call sanityInto questionAnd there are thoseWho come back just to go againAnd for what?The thrill of the killThe adrenaline rushThe chance to be a heroTo show off to your countryTo fight for what you believe inBut what is it you believe in?That by killing those who stand against youWill make everything betterWill it ever be better?What justifies the taking of a life?Because someone told you to?What about that little voiceThat yells at youBegging you not to killThe person that you have been told to Because he’s an afghanAnd holding a cell phoneBut then againIt’s just another day In the wastelandOf Afghanistan

Tyler Dawson

My CountryAs I heard the tick,That made my mind click,I raised my rifle,Just waiting to trifle,Wanting revenge,For those I avenge,Please dig my grave,For I’m afraid,I will not be coming home again…Tyler Dawson

IEDWhile on the bendWe heard a deafening noise

And then we were dead

Tyler Dawson

How to survive Afghanistan

To survive you must

Focus on your survival

Master your weapon

Aim at your target

Bury your emotion

Pull the trigger

And you will live

Tyler Dawson

Always dangerForever war tornGlobal interest Hardly worth itA stain on humanityNever winingIED Shell shockTo much death and despairA oil filled countryNo where to go…Tyler Dawson

A soldier's lost love

He knows loveHe grows weary of lossOnce green eye, now tainted with red Death awakens him with every sleeping breath Thick iron shields the boy inside Wanting hoping praying for release Wanting hoping praying for reunion But knowing his time is short This boy, this man, this soldier Your friend, his warmth, his love, his touch, will wait for you in another life

Chris, a soldier serving in Afghanistan

I live on

Why do I live on? Soft lullaby, a song to my brother fallen, April morning; Thought I was stronger than the sun, splashing dawn; hollow sounds, my sobs, because you're gone... Why do I live on? 

By Joanna "Joey" Carman

War In AfghanistanW=When brothers and sisters are dividedA=All humanity is defeatedR=Removing understanding, knowledge and consensus

I=I keep reminding humanityN=Now learn how the system of our Lord works

A=All humanity is defeatedF=For many years will be spentG=Growing understandingH=Holding knowledge and consensusA=All humanity is defeatedN=Now learn how the system of our Lord worksI=I keep reminding humanityS=Soul of AfghanistanT=The Lord is testing us not the other way roundA=All humanity is defeatedN=Now learn how the system of our Lord worksby Moeze Lalji

RepatriationThe leviathan of the sky does land

In England's green and pleasant land.Its cargo more precious than goldThe body of a hero, bold.

Once the giant's engines stoppedThe cargo ramp is gently droppedCarried by six on shoulders trueThe hero is saluted by the crew.

The coffin draped in Union JackIs slowly carried out the back.Out of the dark and into lightSlowly down the ramp and to the right.

The six approach the hearse all blackAnd place the hero gently in the back.The six then turn and march awayTheir duty has been done this day.

Politicians usually have much to sayNo sign of them near here this day.They hide away and out of danger,Much easier if the hero is a stranger.

The hearse with its precious loadMoves slowly out onto the road.The floral tributes line the routeWhile comrades snap a smart salute.

At the edge of a Wiltshire townThe cortege slows its pace right down.The streets are packed, many deep,Some throw flowers, most just weep.

The crowd have come to say farewell,The church bell rings a low death knell.Regimental standards are lowered downAs the hero passed through the town.

The cortege stops and silence reignsThe townsfolk feel the family's pain.The nations' flag lowered to half mastOur brave hero is home at last.

Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane

Helmand Night on the cold plain,

invisible sands lift,peripheral shadows stir,

space between light and darkshrouding secrets;old trades draped grey.

Here too poppies fall,petals blown on broken ground,seeds scattered on stone

and this bright bloom,newly cropped,leaves pale remains,

fresh lines cut;the old sickle windsharp as yesterday.

John Hawkhead2009

MARCHING MEN Think of wars in the past and then of wars that we have left For when your

country calls for you to murder, maim and persecute In a war where nothing is gained, where the slaughter of people is inhumane When your country sends its war machine of marching men and bullets clean Rivers flow the colours red, drained from men that have been bled And they tell you that God is on your side. That when you kill its justified. But the spoils of war turn bad, when you send friends home in body bags With anger strong and bitterness high, you struggle to fight the emotions inside You’re told to be tough, you’re told to be mean, that you’re not a man, you’re a killing machine But hidden away deep down inside, you are a man and you cannot hide For your children scream and your children cry, for they don’t understand the reason why Why at war its right to take a life but in peace time, it’s our worst crime So your country knows what‘s good for you, now take your orders and carry them through And finish it quick the job you do, to kill another man For there will never be peace on earth my friend So listen to the feet of the marching men Martin Harris

Staff Sergeant Andy McFarlane

Reality in Afghanistan

My pain feels cold and selfishMy anguish very smallMy reality insignificantCompared to ones that fallYoung men with broken bodiesTheir Comrades lie in sacksDevastated parents Their sons will not come back.

My pain will ease and lessenMy anguish slip awayReality in AfghanistanTwo brave men died todayYoung men with shell shocked facesGrowing old before their time Are living breathing testamentTo this shallow pain of mine.

Phil Williams

Sunset VigilThe news is spread far and wideAnother comrade has sadly diedA sunset vigil upon the sandAs a soldier leaves this foreign land We stand alone, and yet as oneIn the fading light of a setting sunWe’ve all gathered to say goodbyeTo our fallen comrade who’s set to fly The eulogy’s read about their lifeSometimes with words from pals or wifeWe all know when the CO’s doneWhat kind of soldier they’d become The padre then calls us all to prayThe bugler has Last Post to playThe cannon roars and belches flameWe will recall, with pride, their name A minute’s silence stood in placeAs tears roll down the hardest faceDeafening silence fills the airWith each of us in personal prayer  Reveille sounds and the parade is done The hero remembered, forgotten by noneThey leave to start the journey backIn a coffin draped in the Union JackSgt Andy McFarlane

CitationsChris. “A soldier's lost love.” “Poems by Soldiers and others affected by the war in Afghanistan.”

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html

Carman, Joanna “Joey”. “I live on.” “War poetry written in 2004 (mainly about Iraq)”

http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/readerpoems_B_04.htm#Three%20poems%20by%20Joanna

Lalji, Moeze. “War In Afghanistan” “Poetry: War In Afghanistan”

http://www.helium.com/items/830218-poetry-war-in-afghanistan

McFarlane, Andy. “Repatriation” “British soldier's scathing poem attacks politicians over the war in Afghanistan - as death toll reaches 204”

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1206963/British-soldiers-scathing-poem-attacks-politicians-war-Afghanistan--death-toll-reaches-204.html

Hawkhead, John. “Helmand” “Poems by Soldiers and others affected by the war in Afghanistan.” http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html

McFarlane, Andy. “Marching men” “Poems by Soldiers and others affected by the war in Afghanistan.” http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html

Williams, Phil. “Reality in Afghanistan” “Poems by Soldiers and others affected by the war in Afghanistan.” http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html

McFarlane, Andy. “Sunset Vigil” “Poems by Soldiers and others affected by the war in Afghanistan.” http://www.warpoetry.co.uk/Afghanistan%20War%20Poetry.html