Prevailing.

As darkness fades, he wakes at dawn
The dusty air inhaling.
He drops his head to say a prayer
For what the day’s entailing.
No dew nor drop of water near
His thirst is yet unfailing.
He sees his fallen comrades near
And knows we’re unavailing.
They cannot win the conflict here
With those back home derailing
Their every victory and advance
And every plan detailing.

It saddens me that here at home
Some insist “We’re failing!
But I’m the answer, vote for me”
Their true intentions veiling.
And others still fight for the rights
Of those we should be jailing,
And some don’t like it when we watch
The ones that we’re surveilling
“For they’ve got rights as much as we.”
Our laws are not availing
The capture of these wretched men
While they’re all out regaling.

And still our boys are far from home
The enemy assailing
Risking life and spilling blood
While Congress calls for bailing.
The only way we’ll win abroad
Is if we stop the railing
Support the troops, and in the war
We’ll finally be prevailing.

-P. Ellis