The Fallen

A thousand faces gazing from
The daily paper's print,
Each one a fallen soldier,
Who will not complete his stint.

I looked at every single one
And read his town and age.
The life that each one left behind
Just jumped up off the page.

The solemn ones, in uniform,
Were serious and proud;
Perhaps photographers announced
A smile was not allowed.

But others mugged and looked amused,
So filled with life and fun;
It's hard to reconcile those deaths,
When life had just begun.

I wonder how their loved ones feel
When staring at that square
Containing someone's face they know - 
It's more than I could bear.

When soldiers go to war, they all
Expect to make it back;
Yet every day of war, some don't
Survive the next attack.

We stare at all their faces
As we sympathize and grieve;
To me, no war is worth such loss,
But maybe I'm naive.