Smoke clouded my vision with a blur and grey,
I could only see two feet in front of me before everything disappeared into a grey abyss,
I could taste it on my lips,
Metallic and burning, just like my blood.
It had already dulled my nose until only its scent filled my nostrils,
The ash was like gasoline from a dead engine that had risen back to life.
I could hear the bombs and bombshells and shells in the distance,
Screams were mixed in there, but never louder than the mortar.
My entire body ached and my skin was damp, yet still burned,
My body was covered in too much blood, sweat, and tears to tell what was leaking and what wasn’t.
This was war,
I was part of it,
I was it entirely,
I just wanted it to stop,
But war…
War doesn’t end until you do.