The Sniper

Out on patrol in the cold night air

Our adversaries we’re hoping to find

Ever alert and with utmost care

Travelling through an area that might be mined

To them the value of Life comes  cheap

Cunning and ruthless the enemy of which we speak

Booby traps and snipers in concealment

Death and destruction the goal they seek

Under the guise of religion

The Terrorists all ply their trade

To kill and injure without compassion

As they wage their so-called Crusade

Because of all the deadly obstructions

Our progress is Oh! so slow

For each of us is fully aware

That most of our movements they know

Then all of sudden the crack of a shot

And a very small giveaway spark

Of a single snipers rifle

Which gives us a target in the dark

A decision is made to take the assailant out

Or maybe capture for interrogation

All weapons aimed at the target now

To return fire and settle the altercation

Sporadic fire from the distance

In answer to our fight back in the dark

And then a prolonged silence

Perhaps our ammunition had found it’s mark

But now came the dangerous part

As we needed to assure our enemy was dead

For one false move by any of our crew

May mean we become the casualties instead

So stealthily we approached the building

Which had housed our deadly foe

Then we tossed a couple of grenades through the window

No compassion could we show

And once the dust had settled

Then we were able to see within

There lay the bodies of four young mercenaries

For terrorism had been their final sin

So once again we covered the ground

As we returned to our base once more

Each of us thankful of a successful night

In this terrible theatre of War

Dennis Shrubshall  28th November 2009