Legacy

Smart uniformed, jack booted,

see stiff soldiers march; stiff legged, stiff faced

up cold steps to memorial arch,

they turn to face in solemn rows

names of comrades in cold stone.

*

All for love of country,

all to keep the people free,

noble men, sincere men

through countless centuries of men

this claim’s been made to other children’s men.

*

Grim, wasted, radiated land,

empty buildings devoid of man,

lethal dead in lethal graves

time bombs ticking every day;

crippled children of crippled state,

dying slowly as we pray,

life so painful, cut so short,

legacy of martial man.

*

And the purpose of it all?

Why the instruments of war?

To be strong and keep us safe,

test the bomb in distant place!

*

Still they strut, toy soldiers smart,

to some damned memorial arch.

*

Dennis Crompton © 1995

(first published www.denniscrompton.wordpress.com 2013)