"He Had Some Soldiers"

He had soldiers who were bodies of steel. 

He had soldiers who were currents of electricity. 

He had soldiers who were skins of their supposed enemies. 

He had soldiers who were the grey of destructive technology. 

He had soldiers who were boots and weapons. 

He had soldiers who were not human but could die. 

He had soldiers who were spattered silver blood. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers with no souls of which to speak. 

He had soldiers with full, paranormal machinery. 

He had soldiers who cried too much. 

He had soldiers who dreamt of electric sheep. 

He had soldiers who loved humanity. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers who danced in their spouses’ arms. 

He had soldiers who thought they were of value,

And their bodies slept and awoke like humans. 

He had soldiers who spoke softly to their children. 

He had soldiers who were much too smart

And spoke out against their own maker. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers who liked old hard rock songs. 

He had soldiers who cried in their beds. 

He had soldiers who shouted at superior kings

Who made them afraid of themselves. 

He had soldiers who said that they had had enough. 

He had soldiers who died. 

He had soldiers who stayed alive,

Who were stripped bare of their clothes. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers who called themselves, soldier. 

He had soldiers who called themselves, human,

And kept their lives secret and to themselves. 

He had soldiers who had no identities. 

He had soldiers who died to keep them. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers who killed in the dark,

Who weren’t afraid to kill. 

He had soldiers who screamed out of hate toward the world,

Who carried guns to protect themselves from nothing. 

He had soldiers who awaited their deaths. 

He had soldiers who awaited their lives. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had soldiers who did what they were told by any leader. 

He had soldiers who thought

That their high value would protect them. 

He had soldiers who tried to follow him,

Who stood at his side as he commanded them as they listened. 

He had some soldiers. 

 

He had some soldiers he valued. 

He had some soldiers he sacrificed. 

These were the same soldiers. 

 

Note: This poem, inspired by Fringe, is a play on the famous poem "She Had Some Horses," originally written by Joy Harjo.