Shields polished, swords at the ready,

Charging forward with all your might;

Traversing newfound fields unsteady,

Victory within your sights

 

Soldiers slain, injured, harmed,

Filled with emotion, yet none at all;

Weapons held, yet left unarmed,

Acting only upon another's call

 

Day after daily routine repeated,

Lacking morale and motivation;

Barely escaping being defeated,

Apprehension bringing inevitable frustration

 

So pick up your chin and find the bright side!

No longer do your wounds need to bleed.

Forget about the glory, and the pride,

For you need not win in order to succeed.

 

Look what you've done! Look how you've grown!

And never stop fighting, no matter the pain;

It's impossible to fight a war alone.

More stories await, many battles remain.

 

Keep an eye out, young one, for things in store;

For not matters the battle, but instead the war.