Soldier Boy

Soldier Boy” He left a boy - That young man Whose face held the last vestiges of freckles From summers spent tramping about The countryside on sunny afternoons. He left a boy - That proud young soldier Who brushed away the mother’s desperate grasp Who bade him promise a safe return. He left a boy - That stalwart young man Whose father’s strong embrace Foretold his fear of what lay ahead. He left a boy - That handsome young husband Who concealed his fear From an anxious bride Whose tearstained cheek Begged him caution on those foreign shores. He left a boy - As he held his young son Close to his breast And inhaled the memory of him For safekeeping. He left a boy - With noble thoughts Of all those righteous deeds That he might undertake To defend his loved ones Here and now and yet to come. He left a boy - In innocent guile Not knowing the friends he would lose, Not knowing the Hand of Death That would reach out to him Night after night In that cold bitter place. He left a boy - Unmindful of the torments of war, The disillusionment of fighting the battles That never seemed to end, The bitter loneliness of a home so far removed, The fragrant memories of a misspent youth That had deceived him into thinking He would always be safe. Yes, he left a boy - To become a soldier, A warrior Who would struggle every day For what he knew to be right To just become a Man….. Jb pearce For Veterans Day November 11-2019