It Hardly Counted 
by Michael Doyle

In all my time in the dreadful war
I felt certain of something more
A lot of horrible things occurred
Looking back they've all blurred

These horrors handled with grace
Are the worst, most of us face
To know that man's inhumanity to man
Is worse than most ever can

Endure or manage to live through
Without the cost being overdue
These troubles that we inflict
Are the truth of every conflict

It came to be needed, some kind of shell
Necessary to me or to live in infernal Hell
To treat others as if it never amounted
Or truth be told, it hardly counted

It was enough horror to last a lifetime
The sort of thing that kills every rhyme
Leaving a hurt full of empty hero
Most of whom ended feeling less than zero

There in the mirror and inside my eyes
Were the memories too easy to recognize
Of how despite our efforts our friends die
And in the end we didn't really know why

(c) October 25, 2024   Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved