In the echoes of youth, my heart would race,

With lightsaber battles, I'd dream of a place,

Where heroes in uniforms, strong and so bold,

Wove tales of camaraderie, legends retold.

Every midnight flicker, the glow of the screen,

Clone troopers marching, a galaxy keen.

I wore their brave badges, in dreams I would soar,

A soldier in service, with honor in core.

Then came the day, like a solemn decree,

A call from the shadows, whispered softly to me.

A great-uncle’s memory, like armor, it grew,

As soldiers once fought, I too had to break through.

But voices around me, like shadows did loom,

“Too young,” they would whisper, “You’ll ruin your bloom.”

Yet passion ignited, a fire inside,

For I longed for the life where loyalty's tied.

In the heart of Salvation, behind walls worn and cracked,

I saw them, my heroes, in uniforms stacked.

With their heads held high, they moved with such grace,

Each step carved a memory, each smile left a trace.

But beneath that façade, I felt the dark seam,

A truth in the silence that shattered the dream.

A father's confession, a grim tale to tell,

Of shadows that linger where hopes could not dwell.

“Fifty percent," he spoke, with a voice full of weight,

“Face trials beyond battles, their futures now fate.”

Like glass in the sun, my heart fractured wide,

Reflections of courage now faded with pride.

For in that moment, the loyalty broke,

The bonds that I cherished, now twisted in smoke.

The joy I had sought, in the ranks I adored,

Now lay in splinters, a truth I abhorred.

Yet still, in the shards, I found glimmers of light,

For each soldier's journey is both dark and bright.

In the face of adversity, they still choose to stand,

To fight for the freedoms, to protect this grand land.

So I’ll carry their stories, those pieces of pain,

Transform into strength, let the raw passion reign.

For even in darkness, the heart can still gleam,

In shattering moments, we'll build back the dream.

Though heroes have secrets that tarnish their gleams,

Their courage remains, woven deep in our dreams.

With each step I take, I’ll remember the call,

For the heart of a soldier still echoes in all.