The State

I sit in the muddy trench,
A shell laughs, the raw men ducked.
Big guns belched, the green men cried.
I just sat there, grinning vividly,
Laughing, as the young boys stumbled.

We go out, out over there,
Across the crater-stricken graveyard,
Ta-ta-ta-ta.... ta-ta-ta... The guns chuckled.
My men fell... I crawl back, blood-shot eyes.
Staring into space, shaking with adrenaline.

I sit around, staring into nowhere,
The haunting grin turns to laughter.
The soldiers look upon me, asking
"How long were you here? How old are you?"
I stare at them, grinning, "three months, mate.
I am nineteen."