The ghosts of the honored dead

I was out protesting the war just the other day,
when the ghost of a soldier came up to me.
He wanted me to listen to what he wanted to say,
he said that there were things I needed to see.

He showed me battles from the Great War,
how men bravely charged the murderous Hun.
I heard the screams and I seen the bloody gore,
as they were cut down by the enemy guns.

After that, he took me to the next big one,
I witnessed the planes that were fighting in the sky.
and ships that sailed the seas to get the job done,
they all did it without asking the reasons why.

Then I was shown the men who were frozen,
They stood firm and they stood fast.
they fought and died at reservoir called Chosin,
They all were willing to fight till their last.

I was shown the jungles of Vietnam,
I saw brave men dying so their brothers might live.
This war is the one your parents didn’t give a damn,
They willingly gave all that they could give.

Lastly, I was taken to the Middle East,
where a war was being fought in the hot desert sand.
They had to stop a tyrannical beast,
These warriors were brothers were willing to make their stand.

I asked this ghostly soldier why he is showing this to me,
Freedom always has a high cost, so I could protest the war.
He asked men died for my freedom and for it why can’t I see,
and many good men towards heaven, their souls did soar.

He left me and without blinking, I went to enlist in the military,
it’s my time to go and fight the good fight.
I gave my life so others can live free,
I stood with my brothers for what was right.

Anndrà an Ruadh
© 2017

 

FILE PHOTO: Faces of Australian war veterans projected on a facade in Martin Place, Sydney, during an Anzac Day dawn service. Photo by Able Seaman Bonnie Gassner.

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