A Fading Light
In the shadows of a Soldier’s heart,
Where those silent battles tear him apart,
He wears a smile, achieving a shielded guise,
While anguish bedevils behind his blue eyes.
Among his brothers, he plays an important part,
A warrior strong, always a steadfast heart.
He lifts them up when their spirits fade,
Yet inside him sows a darker shade.
He shares their laughs, their tales of woe,
Fighting the demons they may not know.
A listening ear, a guiding hand,
But no one sees his cracks unmanned.
Each day a constant struggle, a silent fight,
He battles the shadows that haunt his night.
Hides his pain, silently concealing the dread,
Yet the thoughts of escape consume his head.
They call him brave, a hero true,
But in his mind, the darkness grew.
While others heal, he slips further away,
A fading ghost in this bright array.
In quiet moments, he stands alone,
Weighed by burdens he can’t atone.
A Soldier’s duty, to bear the load,
Yet who will carry his heavy road?
He walks the line, a balancing act,
With every step, he feels the crack.
The weight of sorrow, the toll it takes,
As he contemplates the choice that breaks.
The demons whisper from the edge of night,
“End this pain. Follow us. Step into the light.”
But still, he pushes on, a soul confined,
For in the darkness, his heart’s entwined.
He hides the scars that cut so deep,
While others dream, he finds no sleep.
For every life he seeks to save,
He battles thoughts that feel so grave.
Yet in the quiet, the truth will creep,
A price too high, a cost too steep.
And though he stands, so proud, so tall,
He wonders now if he’s lost it all.
He breathes in courage, exhales despair,
Wishing for someone to truly care.
For behind the hero’s mask he wears,
Lies a Soldier wrestling with his fears.
In the shadows, where few can tread,
He fights the thoughts that fill his head.
Yet still, he stands, a beacon so bright,
While silently wrestling his fading light.
© Jake Kingler, 2024
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