Clarior Hinc Honos

He Stepped Forward

There I was—
Standing in a line,
Four men to my left—
Five, to my right.

Each one of us had been disgraced,
Our salty skin barely hanging from the bone.
We were – pathetic.

Lost… was our pride, our dignity, our very souls dangled like a tight-rope walker reaching now one thousand feet!
But who had just – lost his balance…

Our self esteem’d been picked apart,
As a hateful child, wears down upon his mother…

“Now, who shall it be?” The Sgt. Cried.
“Which one of you will share this man’s fate?” The Sgt. Said, tearing the bars off the collar of our fallen leader.

My whole body shook, but who would move?
Give up all he had, to follow to the grave – another.

I closed my eyes, and tilted my head, Damned!
But then I heard the Sgt’s cackle…

NO! Not him!
Not he who had the most to lose.

A son, two daughters, another on the way…
A tender wife and loving father –
Back home.

God Forbid!

And all of them, them who depended on he…

Another man I’d call out of place.
By what Right!
Could he condemn so many…

Another man, I’d turn my head, and spit at his false fealty.

But here, here was a man of which I could not turn my head.
Here was a man who had saved each man’s life, and guided us through many a crossroad.
Here was man who had not once complained!
And in every fight – given, his best.
Here was a man who should have led, but was content to play the servant,
And throw out the worst our garbage.

No, not him God!

Why couldn’t it have been any other?

There is no other man, whom I owe a debt,
There is no other man, whom I’ve ever wronged.
But that one man, stepped forward,
And as God is my witness-
So,
Did I.