her mighty, the upatoi

The mighty Upatoi stands a sight

For every warrior to behold. 

Her lofty banks and subtle creeks

Stand firm from forever days of old. 

Unrelenting, total pursuit

To flow from East to West. 

Her banks flow to chasms 

None dare ever attest. 

Victoriously persistent 

Around barriers she is. 

Every obstacle in her path 

Is a matter of total indifference. 

Around, over, or beneath-

Anything in her way. 

Her rivers flow steadily 

All through night and day. 

Her influence is ever aplenty 

She nourishes as she goes. 

She gives nutrients to the trees,

The boars, the wolves, the crows. 

Whimsically yet purposefully 

Her essence sustains all life. 

Her cause is simply to be, 

Though her affect ends all strife. 

Refreshing are her contents

To every living thing. 

Not even a hydrophobic can deny

The joy her waters bring. 

In nature so delicate, 

So nourishing, so calm. 

In battle no man will cross her,

Her defense is far too strong. 

Oh to be like the mighty Upatoi

Would be something indeed. 

My young soldier-heart

Desires this above even my creed. 

Teach me to be a solider

Who overflows like this grand beast. 

Let me stand as firm, 

Unrelenting west to east. 

Let consistency be my anthem 

That no obstacle can halt. 

Around, over, and beneath

These barriers I wish to assault. 

Let all of those I meet

Be better because of me. 

Let me be always and ever faithful 

In this land that is free. 

I never want to targetedly strive 

To be all I strive to be. 

Rather let it come by accident 

As a result of intentionality. 

I long to be these things;

To be like the Upatoi. 

Longstanding is her current, 

“Soon” I will share her joy. 

What day is “soon”?

How long until “then”?

When will I find my place

In this realm so full of men?

It’s not a complaint

From which these words derive,

Rather a thought from a leader 

Who wants her team to thrive. 

Let it be my competency,

My knowledge, this oath

That makes me a combat officer

And not a congressional hoax. 

I will proudly prove my potential

With every command I give. 

I will close with and destroy,

No enemy of mine will live. 

My commitment to these troops

Is second to none at all. 

We will go and we will fight

No matter what the call. 

This Tank I command

Is the greatest tool of doom. 

Forever my lot will be

Where death and destruction loom. 

I’ll stand up and stand with

Anyone who takes the oath. 

To die serving this country—

Men and women both. 

For at last at war I’ll be struck down,

My faithful cabin full of blood. 

As it spills, red and thick,

A total rampant flood. 

I smile at my gunner,

He looks up and grabs my hand. 

In this moment my life fulfilled,

I finally understand. 

I fought and died beside my brother,

The best there ever was. 

In this moment nothing else mattered. 

Nothing did or ever does. 

All around the flames kick up

They dance above our head. 

Moments from now we’ll be at peace

Among the warriors of the dead. 

Overflowing from my chest,

Blood steadily streaming out. 

The gentle river keeps moving on,

Gently and calmly about.

I learned to be a solider,

Overflowing like that old grand beast. 

I stood as firm, 

Unrelenting west to east. 

This warrior’s honorable death

I died in war’s deploy. 

Mighty in battle, a blessing in life. 

Just like the mighty Upatoi.