(published 26th March 2018)
Defeat fatigue’s cry that soars above you
High. Victory and loss are fleeing
Your purpose, now complete. Temporary
You look above you at the blood-drenched sky
And reflect on the fate you struggled for
Falcons crown over your triumph and the battle ground.
But you halt, pause, reflect. Is your sacrifice
Futile? You adjust your shoulders and puff your chest
Push your pride high to meet the cry.
Tall, stiff uniforms mark this ground.
Blood flows free, under the broken hollow graves.
Is there pride in your achieve? You wonder, as
Fatigued fate falls futile under your feet.
Triumph has a hard shell,
But a softer centre still.
Aldas Krūminis is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Loughborough Univerisity. He was a student blogger for www.milkround.com and is one of the LSU Label Magazine editors. In his free time he writes poetry, short stories and dreams of one day publishing a book.