The Warrior's Way - A Poem By Peter H Glasgow - Vietnam 1969-1970

The noise and madness of battle fell on us,

The relentless beast made it's fierce demand known.

“I want your life!”

We cringed in fear.

Some of us ran, attempting to escape that tormentor for one more breath of life.

Some of us died in explosive moments, hot earth, hot blood, mixed and cooled on a field
of death.

Some of us opened our eyes, as time and motion appeared to slow it's pace,

And stepped on the warrior's way.

We stood on the strength of ancients, brave men gone before us,

Now brothers in time, on the warrior's way.

Our veins were emptied of fear and filled with rage,

Our lives became meaningless, yet survival was now the goal on the warrior's way.

We fought with ferocity unknown before, became men we couldn't recognize, on the warrior's way.

As the battle ended and the dust and stench of war was carried off by wind and time, no words were shared.

The mysteries were hid within us, on the warrior's way.

Some of us stood on that terrible path and learned to forget the first step.

Others became warriors forever, brothers in time with the ancients, their lives closely paralleled to the warrior's way.

Now these are warriors who have learned to mix war with peace.

Warriors without weapons or enemies, set apart by all they have learned,

On the warrior's way...

8/1989

Peter H. Glasgow

Lance/Cpl.

United States Marine Corps

Vietnam 1969-1970