We Do, Or We Die
by Michael Doyle

Hunting monsters is never in vain.
But to think it will be easy is inane.
Chomp by chomp, up the known food chain,
Surely beats letting victory slip down the drain.

And so it was in the waste of Afghanistan,
Where we never quite reached the tribal man.
Sometimes you need to leave to appreciate
What it is and how familiarity comes to hate.

When you've had to be a fighter, you know
Where your reactions begin to come too slow.
Sometimes there's a time to say enough is enough.
Other times, you just have to blow through the bluff.

On point, leading the charge into the square,
Stalked into the kill zone, this life isn't fair.
Pinned to position by the enemy's suppression fire,
Conditions like this are enough to make a man tire.

The things we do lead to who we are,
Either we stay close or go amazingly far.
These are the reasons that we do or we die.
We lean into the charge without saying goodbye.

When you've had to be a fighter, you know
Where your reactions begin to come too slow.
Sometimes there's a time to say enough is enough.
Other times, you just have to blow through the bluff.

(c) October 31, 2026   Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved