No Peace

He was never really allowed to stop fighting
He never knew peace
From the jungles
to the rice paddies
from paycheck to paycheck
to the hospital rooms
Every day was another fight
Every day was another struggle
From the day he first drew breath
to the day he drew his last
He fought others
He fought himself
And in the end
when he won
he lost
For when after he fought for those
last ragged breaths
There was no peace
only silence.