it was quiet in the night

i could no longer hear the gunfire

i could no longer smell the bomb-smoke

i could no longer feel my brothers fall to the uncaring earth

as dead as all our souls have become

there was a stillness to the air

no wind held us in cool arms,

comforting our weary bodies

i almost felt like if i closed my eyes,

and fell asleep,

i'd wake up to sunshine and strawberries

and the dirt and people of home

I knew in the valley of my mind

that dawn would bring back the war,

a battle that caused the rivers to run red,

and the sun to be hidden by a cloud

of gun smoke and explosion,

but the night seemed to make us all fight

for the same side, for the same nation

and the stars were the referees and peacemakers,

the moon a god we all wanted to worship,

and in the darkness,

our fears dreamed of courage, too