North Korean killed in Russia wrote of ‘sacred duty’ to fight for Kim Jong Un
— Headline
When neutralizing a drone—
a deadly, whizzing hornet—
three soldiers are required.
One daring person distracts
the bomb-laden device, as
the other two flank, then fire.
It helps if the shooters have
a brother back home and can
imagine this dear loved one…
in the crosshairs of near death.
Their terror will cause them to
shoot with amplified intent.
If one can stand still and stare
into the cyclop’s cold eye…
the drone will pause its whirring.
Let the device view a man,
driven not by fear, but by
hard fought love for his brothers.
Let the instrument question
if it needs to kill a man:
brittle yet selfless and brave.
In this moment, as the drone
faces its doubt, the shooters
can level the plastic gnat.
Then, after the drone is down,
when the operation ends,
brothers change back to soldiers.
Just remember that the drone
is part of a swarm; and there
will be another to take
the defeated machine’s place.
Do not lose heart, however…
For it’s our sacred duty
to fight for the fatherland
on this frozen, foreign soil…
never to see home again.
Thus, I face my death each day.
I accept the role I play…
because I understand now
there is more unknown love than
known and accepted—waiting
for me beyond this battle.
Photo by João Rocha on Unsplash
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