D-Day Fate

Exhausted before they even began, throwing up from the rocking sea. 

Huddled in the landing craft wondering what their fate would be.

Looking out to the massive collection of ships never before seen in history,

wondering what their fate would be.

Then the sounds of battle came to be. The spray of shells landing near from the enemy.

The boat next to them in flames the cry of the newly dead. They huddle closer together no words spoken,

wondering what their fate would be.

Suddenly the ramp opened and it was open water to the beach.

Flashes of light from the shore batteries aimed down their throats

as they waded into the surf wondering what their fate would be.

Some not even making it to shore dying quietly, bodies torn

yet the rest moving forward to find what little cover they could wondering what their fate would be.

They buried their faces in the sand, death by the meter

as the chatter of machine gun fire cut them down as they inched their way forward,

friends lost crying, dying wondering what their fate would be.

Shells pounding, ground shaking, cutting the wire,

explosives blowing a hole leading to the funnel of death.

Now running into the rain of steel upon them wondering what their fate would be.

Fewer and fewer grind up the hill, legs like lead, chests heaving

wondering what their fate would be.

More explosions shaking their bodies to the soul yet moving up and forward to the top,

where there are now faces to the death machine.

Face to face, hand to hand beyond exhaustion, killing to survive, furious, shaking, yet still alive.

Some dying at the top after all that. Those who remain wondering what their fate would be.

Now quieter, still distant chatter, the silent dead face the sun of dawn.

A chance to look back to the beach, twisted war machines, broken bodies washing up to the shore.

Pock marked beach with the dead lying still. Those at the top grateful for life today.

Yet knowing today is just the beginning, not the end,

wondering what their fate would be.

Our fates now tied to theirs, we are forever grateful as that day fades into history.

It is for us to honor their valor, their sacrifice so we could be free,

yet here we are years later still wondering what our fate will be.
God bless them all. God bless America.