Forgotten War

In the clearing stumbles the soldier
Uncertain of location or direction
Explosions in the distance ring out  
But the sound of bullets has faded  

'Back to my unit' is the first thought  
'Must not linger' reviewing a map  
'Where have I come?' retracing steps  
'Maybe some rest' sitting wearily down  

Labor and toil exact their payment  
Sleep wins the battle against the will  
A fitful slumber overtakes the soldier  
The battle will wait, it goes nowhere.  

Waking comes in a fright  
Lost in a foreign land  
Bewilderment vanishes  
Memories of war rush in.  

Scanning the clearing, all is quiet  
The soldier refreshed stands up  
Weary of war the dedicated soldier  
Prepares to resume the mission  

At the clearing edge a dull glimmer
Beckons the soldier and delays departure
'What is over there?' the soldier wonders  
Draws near with caution and vigilance  

A wall of stone stands its watch alone  
Nothing to mark; nothing to defend  
Worn and weathered but with great strength  
It continues to stand never wavering  

Draws close to inspect  
Wall is filled with marks  
Set in rows and columns  
Not wall, but monument  

The words are in a foreign tongue  
Clear though is their meaning and intent  
Tribute to honored war dead of the past  
Overcome and lost by the ravages of time  

Forgotten war
Remembered no more  
Forgotten soldiers    
Forgotten sacrifices  

Reflecting on the fallen soldiers  
Remembered by the forgotten wall  
Was it worth the fight and sacrifice  
For a cause long since lost to history?  

The soldier wondering  
About past and future  
Then marking the present  
Marches back to war