The Veteran

We often take for granted That old man on that chair The one with funny clothes on And grey receding hair But if we close our eyes Imagine who he used to be The old man with funny clothes on Lead a country to victory You never stopped to question You only stand and judge The old man on the park bench Feeding ducks and eating fudge It’s once a year you see him With his medals on display Standing at the cenotaph Looking grieved and in dismay He stands still in reflection In silent mourning and in grief For as the clock strikes 11 He lays down the poppy wreath. In laying down that poppy wreath In memory of what was He lost his friends and colleagues He laid down his life for us.