Who was this man who gave his life
Did he leave a son, a mum, a wife
Did death come quick, did he die in pain
Never to walk these shores again

To this man and the rest I owe such a debt
The poppy a symbol lest I forget
How do I live, do I honour his name
Did the world take stock or is it just the same

Freedom was won but what did we learn
With conflict and struggle at every turn
Men are not equal, all are not free
Perhaps the need to address must begin with me

My soldier signed up, he played his part
What does that say to my complacent heart
He didn’t come back, he paid the ultimate cost
May that spirit of service never be lost

I have two sons, how would I have felt
Beside empty beds, in prayer, as I knelt
From the hell of the trench, the bullet, the shell
Would they return – or be left where they fell?