Before the Veterans Die

Poetry of World War II by Dale R. Carver

Note: Reprinted without permission for private use only. No copyright infringement is intended.

A P mines are tricky to set;
steady hands are required and skill,
But I take no pride in this devious work
and I sorrow for what I may kill.

I set them to fell the plodding man,
not the bounding deer.
Would that I knew a way to keep
the innocent far from here.

With clinical eye and mind alert
he watched the ebb and flow,
saw in live bodies beyond all hurt
dead eyes; saw blood on snow.

He walked with death ever near
beneath an indifferent sky,
knew the sickening taste of fear,
watched the valiant die,

watched the cowardly live on,
knew anguish at broken trees,
saw the mine-slain forest fawn
and proud men on their knees.

He recorded minutely in memory
all that came to pass,
then, ill of soul, wrote poetry
as a sick cat eats grass.

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