War - A Warning to the Volunteer

[Stillsearching]

I am not sure if this qualifies as a poem, it didn't seem to fit in the other sections either so apologies if it should have gone elsewhere. It was I suppose a reflective piece based on my own experience. I was curious to know if anyone has any observations, good or bad as to what they think of it as a piece of writing or just in general. Many thanks.

War - A Warning to the Volunteer

It is like an extreme sport except you gamble with your life.

Granted some sports are dangerous but in war someone must die. It is an essential part of the process.

If you choose to enter the game you must realise your life will hang in the balance. Your destiny is controlled entirely by a roll of the dice.

Some will leave the table dead, others greviously wounded. That is a given. The remainder will survive an experience unavailable elsewhere.

But remember, once you sit down you cannot leave until the game has ended and your life remains in the balance. You will have made the ultimate gamble.

That is the reality and it cannot be escaped.

The choice is yours.

For now.

[Hawkman]

I'd drop the first line, the point about extreme sports is the gamble, but I think you are right hereafter, except that the sport is not for the benifit of the participants, merely the instigators.

[Delta40]

I agree with Hawk to drop the first line. It still sounds a little prosey but I like the metaphor you have used.

[Buh4Bee]

I accept.

[AsianGuy1137]

This relflection of yours has incited my curiosity. Did you ever serve in the military by any chance?

[Stillsearching]

Thanks for taking the time to read it and for the feedback. I will drop the first line, it seems an obvious point now but I had completely missed it.

Yes, I served in the Infantry in Afghanistan. I was trying to express the impact of realising that the continuation of your life (in war) is down to chance and that you cannot walk away until 'the game' has finished.