By the curb six men sit in the morning sun
Side by side, but arrived one by one
To fall in line, as soldiers are wont to do
Each in a wheel chair
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For duty done,
A soldier’s pay

The first one there was Billy Rice
At age 16 he had paid freedom’s price
Both legs gone
In the trenches. WW1
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

Second to arrive was Gerald Wu
In WW2, at age 18, payment made across the Rhine
Two feet and a hand
In a village street
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

Then third came John Twofeathers
At age 20 Korea collected from John
An artillery shell, both legs gone
On a hill
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

Rico Garcia wheeled in fourth
A Viet Nam vet, at age 18 he paid his price,
One leg, an eye and a rebuilt face
By a rice paddy
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

Fifth to fall in was Albert Kalinsky
At age 21, a mine claimed his part of freedom’s bill
A leg below the hip, an arm and chance of children
On a desert storm’s road
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

Number six was Roger Brown age 19
In Baghdad, Iraq freedom’s price was paid by his spine
In an ambush
Quadriplegic, powered chair steer by mouth
Upon his chest, above his heart,
Medals lay,
For duties done,
A soldier’s pay

At curb’s edge all six sit line abreast
Each another entry on freedom’s debit list
Payment rendered
Day by day
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For duty done,
A soldier’s pay

Passing by, waving in the breeze, a bit of cloth with colors embossed
Behind, in ordered row on row, soldiers marched to marshal airs
Remembrance Day
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For duty done,
A soldier’s pay

Reviewing stand nowhere near, Orders ring loud and clear
General salute! Eyes right!
Those who can, return salute
Six men sit
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For duty done,
A soldier’s pay

Honours rendered, flags dip, swords flash,
Rank on rank salute past war’s Vets
Respect
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For service rendered,
A soldier’s pay

Six men in silence sit, the lucky ones
With thoughts of friends wrapped in earth’s embrace
Remembering each, a far off place
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay,
For duty done,
A soldier’s pay

Freedom’s cost is armed strife, with limbs and life
A never-ending debt owed by all, but soldiers pay
With sacrifice
Upon their chests, above their hearts,
Medals lay
For duties done,
A soldier pays