Across a vast land of charred bareness

a lone soldier stands lost, bewildered, damaged

behind him the remains of

his demolished plane
wrecked beyond recognition

in the blink of an eye

the world has tilted

the sky full of blood and death

just a minute ago a sky so clear and blue

the soldier’s heart heavy and bitter

his feet moving without direction

eyes tired and sunken from the things he’s seen

a skeleton with a beating heart

the soldier is scarred, devastated, and petrified

but behind his tired and sunken eyes
are eyes full of determination
his feet going in no direction
but sure that they’ll take him somewhere
emaciated and starving yet

with a strong steady heartbeat

the soldier has nothing

but he has everything

because he is unbroken