The Man He Killed

Discussing this poem gave me more detail to understand what the speaker was really feeling. My first impression was that a man would need to kill or be killed. Not knowing the life or feelings of the other he killed, he would go in a stance of thinking that it was his job, his enemy. The line "Had he and I but met," (page 710) made me believe this because he is thinking that maybe if they would of they would be friends, share interests with one another. But he can't feel this way, because he is made out to be the enemy and he has no choice. If he wanted to remain alive he were to shoot first. "Just so: my foe of course he was", (page 710) then leads me to believe he is not happy for what he has done, but confused, trying to convince himself that it is ok. Even though deep down he knows it isn't.