a devil's demise

The country paused and held its breath.
Was it really true?
After 10 years they had found him
and knew just what to do.
Silently, they tracked him down,
removing all resistance.
Forcefully, our posse proved
the value of persistence.
Our leaders learned to “cowboy up”
though hope got mighty thin
that we could track that devil down
before he struck again.
So, thank God for the analysts
who puzzled up the clues.
And thank God for the Navy Seals
who brought us such good news.
Thank God for their courage,
for their skill and dedication.
Though we may never know their names
they deserve our acclimation.
As do the weary sentinels
who daily guard the door
in order to keep terrorists
from spreading to our shore.
A victory is ours today
but the conflict isn’t done.
So, Cowboy Up America
until this war is won.

Jeff Hildebrandt © May 3, 2011