The Last Soldier Out

I stood there on the highway that day

Watching my best friend’s life drain away

In the bright red blood—God, it was red

Like I’ve never seen blood not yet quite dead,

Or figured out that parts of us live

Longer than other parts—God forgive

Me for praying that my dick don’t die

Before I do. Still yet, I don’t know why

Bobby got tagged. I mean, he’s the one

Who was up on top manning the gun

Shucked his battle rattle¹ in the heat

Watching out for Jinglies² rocking the street

Only roadside bombs don’t carry signs

Where teenage Taliban have designs

Where locals say go pound salt³ like that’s that

But it’s Bobby’s guts that are in my lap.

So my friend’s an angel⁴ now, Barack,

Sucking down his chow at God’s DFAC⁵.

Folks back home talk war attrition.

Tuesday is market day in Camp Bastion⁷

Little oasis by the NAAFI

Sit at picnic tables, drink coffee

Tell lies that everyone’s heard before.

Will the last soldier out, turn off the war?

¹battle rattle – full dress battle gear, 50 pounds of flak vest, Kevlar helmet, gas mask, weapons and other military hardware. AKA “play clothes” and “mommy comforts.”

² Jinglies – GI slang for Afghans, based on the drivers of “jingle trucks” a local truck usually adorned with colorful stickers, chimes and decorative metal tassels that jingle when the trucks move. None of these trucks would be allowed on any American road.

³ go pound salt. An Afghan expression meaning “go f* yourself

⁴ Angel – a soldier killed in combat

⁵ DFAC – Dining FACility. Pronounced dee-Fak. Where soldiers eat.

⁶ Originally built by the British with 4,000 troops but swollen dramattically with the arrival of American troops.

⁷ NAAFI-The Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes operate retail stores and leisure facilities for the British Armed Forces.—It’s Bastion One’s only coffee shop—a little oasis in the desert. Outside there are picnic tables where soldiers gather to chat about everything apart from the war.

Notes:

Tuesday is market day in Camp Bastion and you can buy everything from plastic encased scorpion key rings, Afghan flags to the “Sex and the City” DVD box set. It is a hive of activity with soldiers from all over the massive base making the trip across to pick up some goodies. The “jingly” market, as it is known by the military, is set up beside the NAAFI—Bastion One’s only coffee shop—a little oasis in the desert. Outside there are picnic tables where soldiers gather to chat about everything apart from the war. [English Afghanistan Military] [full cite] (Jul. 25, 2008)

night letter n. “[The teacher] had a letter—what’s known as a night letter—posted on the outside of his house that pretty much said: ‘This is a message from the Taliban, you’re teaching infidel work and all their hedonistic information, if you don’t stop now, you’re going to be dealt with,’” recalled Hodgson. “So, he signed it and pretty much told them to pound salt, which is like go screw yourselves. ‘I’m going to go on teaching these kids,’ [he said,] and posted it back outside his house.” “The next night he was dragged from his house, beaten and executed. Seriously, if anyone is willing to do that to teach children, I would be more than happy to take a bullet for them.” [English Afghanistan] [full cite] (Mar. 12, 2007)