2
Outside the town a military base
Had been constructed at a rapid pace.
The engineers had leveled all around
A square kilometer of virgin ground
And built a fence to bound the camp entire,
On top of which the concertina wire
Provided more than ample evidence
Of what would happen to belligerents
Who wish to pierce the base security.
And if that failed to end hostility
Before its start, at intervals inside
The fence were bunkers angled to provide
A cross fire for machine gun bursts and sprays,
Augmented by the claymore mine arrays.
Within, the base construction was complete
With buildings made of reinforced concrete
A meter thick, to keep a mortar shell
From wreaking havoc and unleashing hell
Among the few, the proud marines who planned
To guard this outpost in a distant land.
