Howard

Once there was a man,

Howard was his name,

He was forced to do many things,

But he did not complain.

He was sent across the ocean,

Along with many others,

And even though they were different,

They were all considered brothers.

In a country they were stationed,

Where life was very queer,

And for the citizens living there,

The new arrivals brought fear.

They were loaded with machine guns,

And protected head-to-toe,

On street corners they were there,

Around the town their jeeps would go.

Gunshots were often heard,

Screams and shots were common too,

But they were only doing,

What they were told to do.

For they would think about their families,

Back at home, every day,

And even though they longed for them,

Here they had to stay.

With violence 'round every corner,

And eyes filled with despair,

The only thing they wanted,

Was their loved-ones at home to care.

They wrote lots of letters,

Saying what they had observed,

And hoped that back at home,

The letters would be preserved.

So that if they never came back,

To their familes and friends,

At least they would have memories,

Of what their country meant to them.