West, a struggling young poet, finally meets the girl of his dreams and is happy for the first time in his life. But when his best friend Jonah is called up to serve overseas and is killed, West is compelled to follow in Jonah's footsteps to find inspiration for his art and meaning in his friend's life. But he must come to terms with Lilah, an outspoken pacifist. Can their relationship survive his enlistment - and can West survive the war?