Life In My Hands

A true story poetically written. The title says it all.

I am what one would call
A Person Other-than Grunt
Generally I'm safe
From those that my brothers hunt

Communication is my skill
That helps grunts talk far and wide
When the sh*t hits the fan
And they try not to die

But their lives aren't the only ones
With excitement in those lands
For we go on convoys too
That led to life balancing in my hands

A gunner has the dangerous job
To protect his fellow soldiers
I happened to be one of them
Vigilant in my endeavors

One fateful day in Baghdad
Cruising an open highway
When a car came across the median
Heading straight our way

I signaled them to stop
But they didn't even slow
No time to call it up
My heart was in my throat

As I pointed my weapon
The passenger wife was freaking out
Causing the man to slam his brakes
Any closer I would have taken them out

But not all soldiers
Are quite as lucky as me
They had to take those lives
That haunt them in their dreams